Chelsea are ahead of Manchester United in the race for the services of Crystal Palace attacking sensation Michael Olise.
According to a report from 90min, Chelsea are leading the race for the signature of Michael Olise. The Crystal Palace winger has made quite a name for himself and there is no shortage of interest in him. While Manchester United are linked with the French forward, the Blues have a better chance of signing him ahead of next season.
Olise hasn’t looked back since making the move to the Eagles in the summer of 2021 from Reading. He has gone from strength to strength over the years and has established himself as one of the mainstays in the team. While he did miss quite a few games because of injury last season, he still managed to impress everyone with his performances.
In his 19 league outings, the 22-year-old found the back of the net on 10 occasions and he even bagged six assists. His exceptional rise hasn’t gone unnoticed and multiple top clubs from England are keen on prising him away in the summer.
Manchester United to push for Olise?
Manchester United have been interested in Olise for quite some time now. While they would love to have him at their disposal next season, the Red Devils haven’t made a formal offer yet. They haven’t made a move as they believe there are bigger problems they need to solve.
United will prioritise signing a striker, a centre-back, a left-back and a midfielder before looking to add another winger to the mix. With the Manchester-based club taking a back seat, Chelsea have an advantage in the race to his signature.
Chelsea closing in on Olise’s signature
The Blues wanted to sign him last summer, they came very close to acquiring his services but the move collapsed. While the London club wanted to prioritise the signing of a world-class striker during January, Nicolas Jackson’s strong end to the season and new manager Enzo Maresca’s preference have resulted in a change of plans.
The new boss wants to further bolster the flanks in the summer and Chelsea are all set to push for a new winger. Olise is a name that is quite high on their wishlist and they are ready to make a move despite his complex release clause.
The clause in his deal suggests that a club will first have to knock on Crystal Palace’s door ready to trigger the clause before discussing personal terms with the player. In the end, if they do manage to strike a deal with the player as well as the club, the final fee of the operation could be around £60-£65 million.