Crystal Palace: Vieira 'has confidence' in £18.5m star at Selhurst Park

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira ‘quite likes’ striker Odsonne Edouard and has high hopes for him in the future, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The 24-year-old has arguably struggled to live up to expectations since arriving at the club back in August 2021 but appears to retain the confidence of Vieira at this moment in time.

Palace snapped Edouard up from Celtic in a deal that could rise to £18.5 million if potential add-ons are met, signing a four-year contract worth £70,000-per-week with the option of a further 12 months.

In his maiden campaign at Selhurst Park, the former France Under-21 international struggled to cement a starting berth and was forced to compete with Christian Benteke and Jean-Philippe Mateta for a place in the side.

Edouard still managed to register a respectable tally of six goals and three assists in 28 Premier League appearances, though, highlighting his potential.

Yet Vieira stated that he needed to be ‘more decisive inside the box’ early this season after he scored for the first time in 15 matches against Oxford United in the Carabao Cup.

“He needs to be more decisive inside the box, to have more bite,” said Vieira. “He’s a really, really talented player, he can do a lot of things with the ball at his feet and his movement is really good.”

Jones has informed GiveMeSport that he was ‘told in the summer’ that Vieira still has faith in Edouard and that he believes he can become a ‘regular goal scorer in the Premier League’.

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He said: “I think Vieira quite likes him. I mean, Edouard can definitely kick-on from here, and I think that Vieira has been quite keen for that to be the