Odsonne Edouard is set to make the switch from Celtic Park to south London in a deal that will look to relieve Crystal Palace's growing concerns over their lack of goals at the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

After being on the club's radar for a while now, the former France Under-21 International becomes Patrick Vieira's seventh signing of the summer. The 23-year-old had long been tracked by Palace, who expressed an interest in the prolific forward in 2019 when Celtic's asking price proved to be prohibitive.

But now that talks have broken down between the club and Eddie Nketiah, and Celtic's valuation has dwindled, it seemed like the perfect time for Edouard to make the move to Selhurst Park.

His arrival comes with the extra ingredient of expectation - something embedded deep into the roots of the south London club. Palace's lack of goals has been well-documented, and this season has followed suit. 

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It wasn't until Conor Gallagher netted a brace against West Ham on Saturday afternoon that the Eagles had found a goal in their new era, but with the capture of Odsonne Edouard, goals are impatiently expected.

Edouard first found his feet in professional football through the rigorous nurturing of Paris Saint-Germain's youth system. The sky was the limit for the young Frenchman, and the boundless potential he exhibited in Paris earned him a four-year deal with Celtic.

It would then be Glasgow where the striker would earn a reputation as a fearsome goalscorer, notching over 80 goals across four seasons. Standing at 6ft 2 but still boasting the quickness of any other frontman at the club, Edouard quickly asserted himself as someone to be adored. 

Seeing the talismanic striker walk through the building at Selhurst Park will more than likely cap an almost faultless transfer window for the Eagles. 

This year's edition of the transfer window has seen Steve Parish, Dougie Freedman, and the new face of John Textor breathe a new life into their project to turn their midtable mediocracy into something worth getting excited about. 

A new defensive partnership was moulded through the captures of Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen, the squad age was brought down by the acquisitions of Conor Gallagher and Michael Olise, but then the focus turned to recruit a striker to compete with Christian Benteke and Jean-Phillipe Mateta.

  • Is another striker needed?

While it is easy to forget Christian Benteke's meteoric surge in form at the end of last season, which inevitably tied him down to a future at the club, it is clear that more is still needed in an attacking sense for Palace.

The Belgian striker has all the capabilities in his artillery to score goals this season, but his robust stature, which is shared with his backup option Mateta, has encouraged Vieira to look for a different type of striker. 

With Edouard's speed and agility, the Frenchman could provide the perfect counterbalance for Benteke, who will win aerial duels for the new signing to latch onto. 

Against Brentford, Benteke won more aerial battles than anyone on the pitch, but almost every time, the ball ended up back in possession of a yellow shirt.

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For the majority of the opening games of the season, the Belgian has also struggled in the sense of being isolated upfront. The capture of Celtic's frontman could prove vital in not only unlocking goals through a new face but also bringing their current striker into the action more often. 

After failing to secure the signature of Adam Armstrong, this signing looks set to right the wrongs of their previous negotiations for a striker. 

  • What's been said?

Commenting on Edouard’s arrival, Chairman Steve Parish said: “Odsonne is a player of proven quality. He was a player in high demand and I’m delighted he chose to join Crystal Palace as another fantastic addition to our squad.”

Speaking with Palace TV, Edouard said: “I’m very happy to be here today. I can’t [wait] to start to train with the team and to play for this club… Scoring goals in the Premier League may be the biggest challenge in my career. But I’m confident in myself and my teammates to be successful.”

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