Chelsea have contacted Crystal Palace to enquire about the services of winger Michael Olise who is expected to leave Selhurst Park this summer.
Chelsea Begin Chase For Olise
The Story So Far
The latest news concerning Olise has come on the afternoon of June 13 as David Ornstein reported that the Blues have approached Crystal Palace with the intention of bringing Olise to Stamford Bridge.
🚨 Chelsea contact Crystal Palace about signing Michael Olise. #CFC expressed interest in 22yo winger + requested permission to talk with reps (#CPFC deal includes ~£60m release clause). Other clubs retain strong interest @TheAthleticFC after @MirrorDarren https://t.co/O1NhA9r5YA
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) June 13, 2024
Ornstein, who many see as the most reliable journalist football has to offer, has confirmed that Chelsea have requested to speak to Olise’s team in order to facilitate a move and get themselves at the front of the queue for the Frenchman and get a deal over the line, something they were incredibly close to doing in August 2023 before the 22-year old ended up signing a new contract with the Eagles.
The Positives In Olise Remaining An Eagle
While Blues fans were left disappointed that they could not prise the attacker – whose younger brother Richard is in the Chelsea academy – out of South London, him staying at Palace seems to have been a really good decision.
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Missing the first 11 league games of this season through a hamstring injury will have had Eagles fans worried, but his return sparked a fire inside of him as he scored five goals in the next nine matches, an impressive run considering they only won one of those games during that stretch.
When Oliver Glasner became the new manager in February 2024 following Roy Hodgson’s departure, Olise’s form continued on an upward trajectory as he scored three goals and notched up four assists in the final 13 matches of the season under the Austrian, showcasing his world-class potential as one of the best wide men in the division as Palace went on to finish 10th.
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His performances weren’t unfortunately enough for him to be rewarded with a spot in France’s Euro 2024 squad but he is set to play under Thierry Henry for his nation at the Olympics in Paris this summer.
The State Of Play For Chelsea
Per Ornstein, Olise has a £60 million release clause in his Palace contract, which runs until 2027, so it’s expected that Chelsea would have no issues paying that amount, and with the Blues within touching distance of signing him back in August as reported by Fabrizio Romano, personal terms shouldn’t be too much of a problem either.
Olise was a former Chelsea academy player himself from 2009 until 2016 before moving to Manchester City, so Blues fans will hope that his history at the club will encourage him to make a sensational return to where it all began, and what a return it would be should it happen this summer.
