Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has ruled out the possibility of recalling Odsonne Edouard from his loan spell at Leicester in a damning assessment of the move.
Striker Edouard joined the Foxes on loan ahead of the 2024/25 season – but has started only two matches in all competitions.
Edouard has been linked with an early Leicester exit
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Edouard has been linked with an early Leicester exitCredit: Getty
It is understood Leicester are considering terminating the Frenchman's loan to free up space in January.
However, when asked if Edouard could be recalled in January, Palace boss Glasner delivered a surprising answer.
“We always follow our loan players,” Glasner said. “But, to be honest, especially this week with three games, it’s not my highest priority to think about Odsonne [Edouard].
“I don’t know about the contract details. From our side, It makes no sense to bring him back because if he’s not playing at Leicester, then why should he play for Crystal Palace?
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“It was the same situation in the summer. Maybe he decided to get more minutes there. We explained the situation. The situation didn’t change at the end of the transfer window. It’s up to him and his agent.
“If he doesn’t get minutes at Leicester, then maybe he finds another loan. But it’s not the case of him coming back to play.
“It’s all about competition and performance. If you make a loan deal, it’s clear what every party wants.
“For Leicester, they want a good player to help them win games. For Oddsone, it’s about getting minutes to improve his performances and score goals. For us, it’s the same, so when he comes back, he’s in a better situation than when he left.
“He didn’t get many minutes there, so the situation is even worse when he comes back. It just makes no sense.”
Edouard scored seven goals in 30 matches for Palace last season before Leicester struck a loan deal on deadline day.
Edouard has been a Palace player since joining from Celtic in 2021
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Edouard has been a Palace player since joining from Celtic in 2021Credit: Getty
But he is not part of Glasner's plans at all
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But he is not part of Glasner's plans at allCredit: AFP
However, the 26-year-old failed to impress ex-manager Steve Cooper - limited to cup appearances and used sparingly off the bench, even failing to make Premier League matchday squads on occasion.
Patson Daka has since returned from injury and came off the bench to score in new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game in charge.
It puts Edouard even further down the pecking order as a back-up option to first-choice striker Jamie Vardy.
Premier League clubs can only have two loans at one time - and Facundo Buonanotte, Leicester's other loanee, has arguably been their standout player this season after joining from Brighton.
Palace, meanwhile, have struggled for goals in the top-flight this season following the loss of star player Michael Olise to Bayern Munich.
The Eagles are 17th in the table, with 12 goals from 14 matches, and only bottom-of-the-league Southampton have scored fewer times.