- Chelsea have contacted Crystal Palace over a move for winger Michael Olise
- Last summer, he snubbed the Blues and signed a contract extension at Palace
- LISTEN to It’s All Kicking Off! Ian Ladyman, Chris Sutton and the Mail Sport team give their tournament predictions
Chelsea have made contact with Crystal Palace over a summer swoop for Michael Olise.
The Eagles attacker is emerging a serious target for the Blues this summer and the west London side have now enquired about the attacker.
Olise has a complicated release clause in his contract, which he signed last summer after Chelsea failed in their attempts to sign him last summer.
Chelsea are now trying to ascertain the accurate details of Olise’s buy-out following their botched move in 2023.
Manchester United are also interested in Olise, but have a limited budget to work with.
Chelsea look to freshen up their front line under new manager Enzo Maresca, but there will be a battle for Olise’s signature after his impressive performances with Crystal Palace, scoring 10 and making 6 assists despite injury struggles.
It is understood that he is happy under Oliver Glasner in south London, and the Eagles have reportedly slapped a £60million fee on the winger, £25m more than what the Blues were offering last year when a deal seemed imminent.
In order to raise funds for deals like this, Chelsea are hoping to sell some major stars, such as Conor Gallagher and Romelu Lukaku.
The Blues’ goal for next season under their new boss is to secure Champions League football.
The French winger was part of the Blues’ academy for seven years between 2009 and 2016, before moving onto Manchester City, and then Reading, eventually joining Crystal Palace in 2021.
Olise was born in Hammersmith, and has attracted the attention of England manager Gareth Southgate, but it would be complicated for him to switch international allegiances from France.
Thierry Henry named Olise and his Crystal Palace teammate Jean-Philippe Mateta in France’s squad for this summer’s Olympics, which predominantly features players under the age of 23.
The Olympic Football Tournament runs from July 24 to August 9, with the Gold Medal match scheduled one week before the potential start of the next Premier League campaign on August 16.
Chelsea finished sixth place last season, and will be playing in the Europa Conference League during the 2024-25 campaign.