REDDITCH United are on the verge of signing French hotshot Norman Sylla -- the player who left the club 12 months ago for a season in the sun.Manager Gary Whild is due to meet with the former Barnet and Tamworth striker tomorrow night to hammer out a deal that would see the 23-year-old make a dramatic return to the Valley Stadium.Sylla made an immediate impact when he arrived at the club two seasons ago.The frontman was signed on loan from Tamworth before the clubs agreed a fee of around £3,000.But it seemed money well spent as he finished the season -- the Reds' first in Nationwide Conference North -- as leading scorer, bagging the Redditch Advertiser Player of the Year award along the way.Sylla was then linked with a number of clubs in the close season before opting to play in Division Two of the Greek League."This is a great signing for the club," Whild admitted."When a player like this signs, it gives everyone at the club a lift -- the supporters, the players and the coaches."The Reds boss admitted he had been in talks with the striker for a number of weeks."I had a good relationship with Norman when he was at the club before and I think he appreciated the way he was treated."For whatever reason his time in Greece has come to an end and I get the impression he had Redditch in mind for his return."No matter where you are playing, it is important to get goals and you cannot knock the record he had when he was here before. He finished second highest scorer to Southport's Terry Fearns and Norman missed the first three months."If Sylla signs it will give Whild a four-man strikeforce with Richard Adams, Craig Wilding and fit-again Jermaine Clarke vying for places.Clarke had been struggling with a hernia since Christmas but underwent surgey in May and is set to return for pre-season training. "One thing that was missing last season was the finishing touch up front and Norman certainly has that," Whild added."It is important at the start of any season that you think positively."In our first season in this division we did tremendously well and vied with a play-off place thanks to Norman's goals."If you look at last season, there was little between Moor Green and ourselves apart from they had the lad (Gary) McPhee to put the ball in the net."With Norman in the side we have to be confident of having a good season."l Redditch are hoping to hear from Premiership giants Birmingham City this week about a possible pre-season friendly.The Reds have announced matches at Evesham United, Bromsgrove Rovers, Alvechurch and Studley but are hoping to arrange at least one at the Valley Stadium.