Leicester close in on £15m deal for Celtic forward Edouard as long-term replacement for Vardy

Leicester City believe they have won the race to sign Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard.

Sportsmail understands that the player has indicated he wants to join his former boss Brendan Rodgers at the King Power Stadium and a deal is close to being agreed for a fee of about £15million.

Rodgers took Edouard to Celtic from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, initially on a season-long loan before signing him for £9m, and Leicester's manager sees the 23-year-old as the long-term replacement for veteran forward Jamie Vardy, 34.

Edouard will have 12 months left on his contract this summer and that, as well as a sell-on fee of around 40 per cent owed to PSG, has driven down the price.

At one point Celtic had hoped to receive as much as £40m for the striker, who has scored 83 goals in four seasons.

It is said they will instead gamble on recouping a larger sum by negotiating a sizeable sell-on clause of their own.

Several clubs have courted the Frenchman — including Arsenal and Roma — but sources say Leicester will be his next destination.

The Foxes' head of recruitment, Lee Congerton, knows the player well having negotiated the deal to take him to Celtic when employed in the same position by the Scottish club.