Manchester United are reportedly eyeing up a summer move for Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise as part of INEOS’ plans to rebuild the club’s forward line.
According to the Evening Standard, co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is looking towards Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise as the player he wants to make his first big signing to overhaul Manchester United’s misfiring attack next summer.
The 22-year-old arrived at Selhurst Park after sparkling in the Championship with Reading and has since blossomed into one of Europe’s most exciting young attackers.
He was sidelined until November due to a hamstring issue, but has enjoyed a sublime spell of form since returning to the pitch. The France Under-21 international has scored five goals and provided one assist in seven Premier League starts, netting four times in his last four.
Olise was on the verge of leaving Palace last summer amid strong links with Chelsea. It was even claimed at a point that the Blues had prepared to trigger the £35 million release clause of the Frenchman to bring him in.
However, the transfer hit a snag when Crystal Palace threatened to bring the method of Chelsea’s approach into question, while the player himself spurned a move to Stamford Bridge and signed a new £100,000-a-week contract at Selhurst Park in August instead. It’s understood that his release clause is now at a much higher figure than it was over the summer and will come into effect next summer.
The Red Devils have opted against a January pursuit due to the Financial Fair Play stranglehold, but Olise is on their shortlist as part of summer plans to rebuild the squad. Erik ten Hag’s side have scored just 22 goals in the Premier League this season, with only Burnley and Sheffield United finding the back of the net on fewer occasions.
It is understood that the Red Devils’ see Olise as a player who can go some way to solving their attacking problems, with a number of their existing forwards either underperforming or set to leave at the end of the campaign.
Jadon Sancho is expected to depart on loan in January with the possibility of a permanent summer transfer after falling out with the manager. Anthony Martial is coming to the end of his contract, while the £86 million flop Antony has received huge criticism following a miserable 18 months at Old Trafford.
And Ratcliffe appears keen to put the wrongs right in his first summer in control of football operations at Old Trafford. The Premier League are yet to clear his £1.3 billion deal for a 25 percent stake in United, but the 71-year-old INEOS tycoon and Sir Dave Brailsford have already begun work at Carrington ahead of a major restructure at the boardroom level.
