Chelsea activate £35m release clause of Crystal Palace’s “special talent”

It has been an extremely busy week for Chelsea, both on and off the field. Their new era under Mauricio Pochettino officially kicked off this past Sunday when they took on Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. The match ended in a draw, but the performance itself was one to build off of. Off the pitch, Chelsea are continuously making massive waves in the transfer market. They have signed Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion for a British record transfer and are looking to finalize the signing of Romeo Lavia from Southampton.

They aren’t done after that, though. As The Top Flight has covered, Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise, a striker and a goalkeeper are all items on Pochettino’s shortlist. New reports suggest that Chelsea is about tick one of those off the list.

Chelsea activate Michael Olise’s £35m release clause

First broken by RMC Sport’s Fabrice Hawkins, The Athletic has confirmed the reports from France of Olise’s clause being activated. Chelsea are hoping to complete the £35m signing soon, but Michael Olise is not close to a return yet. The French winger picked up an injury over the summer during the U21 Championships and could be out until the end of September, per The Athletic. It is believed that Michael Olise has already agreed to personal terms with Chelsea, so there are likely no roadblocks left in this deal to overcome.

Michael Olise was one of the most dynamic and influential players in the Premier League last season. He was among the top in assists and is a phenomenal chance-creator. Current teammate Joel Ward described Olise as a “special talent.” Olise is primarily used as a right-winger but has plenty of experience in an attacking midfield role. Once he recoveries from injury, he will likely become a regular starter under Pochettino, making the £35m release clause look like a bargain down the line.