Chelsea and Manchester City to fight for £35m-rated playmaking genius with release clause
By Evan Curnew
After losing Riyad Mahrez to Ah Ahli, Manchester City seemingly are in the market for a winger. They aren’t the only Premier League club still looking to add wide attackers. Chelsea, who was recently linked to Mohammed Kudus, is also in the market for a winger. It is now being reported that both clubs are keeping tabs on Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise. Fabrizio Romano reports that it is believed Olise has a release clause of just £35m which is enticing both City and Chelsea.
Chelsea and Manchester City have both Michael Olise in their list. Understand there’s release clause into his contract — around £35m. 🚨🔵 #CFC #MCFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 23, 2023
Both clubs are waiting for clarity about his conditions as he picked up injury last month.
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Romano also states that any push to sign the French U21 International is on hold until the clubs get a status update on his injury. Michael Olise had his Euro U21 championship run end prematurely after picking up a thigh injury against Norway.
Should Micahel Olise join Manchester City or Chelsea, it would be a reunion of sorts. Olise spent seven years in Chelsea’s academy as a kid and a single season at Manchester City’s academy in 2016. Olise’s first academy club was actually Arsenal, but it was Reading where he made his name in the professional scene. During the 20/21 EFL Championship season with Reading, Michael Olise bagged seven goals but more impressively recorded 12 assists. Olise’s rise earned him interest from Crystal Palace during the summer of 2021. Crystal Palace paid just a little over £8M to activate Olise’s release clause from Reading.
Michael Olise was tied with Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka last season for the third most assists in the Premier League, with 11. At 21 years of age, Olise, at £35m, feels a bargain of a price. It would not exactly be a shock if Crystal Palace swiftly tried to begin new contract negotiations to take the clause out of his contract.
Now a well-recognized name in the Premier League, Michael Olise may have to make a decision on his International career soon. Olise is a quad-national, eligible for England, France, Nigeria and Algeria.
Michael Olise could join Wilfried Zaha as attackers to leave Crystal Palace this summer.