Back in August, Crystal Palace completed the £14m signing of Odsonne Edouard from Celtic, in what seemed to be fantastic business by both sides.
The Bhoys offloaded a player with just one year remaining on his contract for a decent fee, while the Eagles received a forward with 86 goals in 179 games for Celtic.
With a fellow Frenchman in Patrick Vieira holding the reins at Selhurst Park, we expected a lot from Edouard in the Premier League this term.
Unfortunately, things have turned a bit miserable for the 24-year-old after a bright start in south London.
What’s the story?
Well, Edouard has only started one game since the 0-0 draw against Brentford in February, and the goals have dried up after an impressive run of form over Christmas.
The former Paris Saint-Germain striker netted three goals in four Premier League games around the festive period, while also providing two assists.
However, the emergence of Jean-Philippe Mateta at centre-forward, and the presence of Wilfried Zaha on the left, has made life difficult for Edouard.
Odsonne Edouard can still thrive after leaving Celtic
In our view, Edouard just has to be patient at Crystal Palace.
He is nearly six years younger than Zaha, so Vieira may view him as the Ivorian’s long-term replacement.
The 29-year-old is also out of contract in June 2023, so he could even be sold this summer if the Eagles believe he won’t pen a renewal.
Therefore, Edouard should use this campaign as an adaption period, before using next season as a platform to showcase his immense talent.
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