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Striker Odsonne Edouard has lifted the lid on the private talks with Lens that saw him close the door on other summer offers amid speculation over a Celtic return. Last season, the Frenchman was farmed out on loan to Leicester City by Crystal Palace but endured a miserable year - and failed to play a single minute under Ruud van Nistelrooy after his appointment in the second half of the season. Record Sport revealed that the Hoops had been informed that Edouard was available - and Celtic hero Charlie Mulgrew claimed that contact was made in the final hours of the window by the frontman's team. However, Brendan Rodgers reportedly turned down the chance to be reunited with the former Parkhead talisman as he opted to bring in Kelechi Iheancho. The 27-year-old - who has netted two goals in his last two Ligue 1 games - has lifted the lid on his decision in the summer. He told L'Equipe: “In mid-July, I received a call from Jean-Louis Leca. (sporting director). I had met, casually in Paris, coach Pierre Sage two months before he signed for Lens, and I liked him. "We talked all summer, and it happened. To be honest, it was an effort (salary-wise), but I needed a good project, ambitions. "I received financially superior offers, but not what I was looking for. From my first training sessions here, I felt a united group, a staff that was moving forward. "I knew there was something special to do. When you're not playing anymore, you're quickly forgotten, so my first goal was something important. I missed that adrenaline rush. I have a goal target in mind, but I'm keeping it to myself." Reflecting on his time in the Premier League, Edouard took a swipe at former boss Van Nistelrooy for failing to give him a look-in. On the legendary Manchester United striker turned manager, Edouard said: “The Premier League is indescribable. You have to experience it to understand, but then that went badly at Leicester. "I didn’t get along well with Van Nistelrooy. I found myself blocked for seven months without playing. Having been a great striker doesn’t necessarily make you a great manager." And after returning to France, Edouard insists he has not given up hope of earning a call up for the national side: "If I haven't been called up to the A team like them (his teammates in the youth categories), it's because I haven't done enough. I "I'm not closing the door on Haiti, but I've done all my training in the French team, so it would be the logical next step for me. I still have hope, I hope that one day it will happen,"
