Crystal Palace: Olive release clause is a major blunder

The 21-year-old was a target of Pep Guardiola this window

•  Chelsea has activated the release clause in Michael Olise’s Crystal Palace the talented winger in the coming days.
•  Crystal Palace will receive a guaranteed £35m from the transfer, a snip considering Olise’s potential and development.
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•  Olise’s departure will leave a creative void at Crystal Palace, as he was a key performer for the team last season with impressive stats and a promising future.
• According to Dan Bardell, whoever put in the release clause in Michael Olise’s Crystal Palace contract must be “absolutely fuming” with the recent developments for a key reason.

  The 21-year-old looks set to depart Palace this summer after two seasons at Selhurst Park.

  What is the latest news on Michael Olise?

  Olise looks set to make the switch to Chelsea in the coming days.

  That is according to David Ornstein, who reports that on Tuesday the Blues activated the release clause in the young Frenchman’s contract and expect to complete the deal for the currently injured forward in the coming days. It is believed that Palace will receive a guaranteed £35m from the deal that will take the former Reading man to Stamford Bridge, and take Chelsea’s spending for this window to over £300m.

• The Blues weren’t the only side interested in the creator, with Manchester City reportedly eying up the Palace star as a potential Riyad Mahrez replacement following the Algerian’s switch to the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ahli. Ultimately, it seems that the reigning Premier League champions have moved onto an alternative target in the form of Rennes winger Jeremy Doku, with the club reportedly having agreed personal terms with the player who Jurgen Klopp earmarked as Sadio Mane’s successor in 2017.

  Chelsea’s summer signing Christopher Nkunku suffered a devastating knee injury in pre-season which is set to rule him out for four months, and the arrival of Olise could help fill the creativity void in the short term, and give the Blues a fantastic young option for the long term both in the middle of the park and out wide.

  Speaking on Sky Sports Good Morning Transfers show, presenter Bardell praised the window that Chelsea have had so far, and stated that Crystal Palace will be gutted to lose Olise just as he was really stepping into the mold of a team player:

• “Chelsea are having an incredible window with the type of player that they are bringing in under this manager. Like I said earlier, I like Olise’s development. He’s operated in the high-level academies, he’s gone to a Championship club, got in the team there, done it in the EFL, gone to Crystal Palace and again had a good couple of seasons there learning his trade and now the time feels right to get that move to Chelsea.

  “In the modern-day market as well, I mean whoever put that clause in Crystal Palace must be absolutely fuming because £35m for a 21-year-old player who has got two years in the Premier League now, someone whose game really developed last season, it felt like the end product came a little bit more last season but also if you watch him, he seemed a bit more switched on defensively, became more of a team player, so just as Palace have gotten him to that level, you’re losing him for £35m which is a snip.”

  Will Michael Olise be a big miss?

  Olise was incredibly impressive for Crystal Palace

• Last season the winger made 37 appearances for the Eagles in the Premier League and was the sides second-best performer in the division according to WhoScored, being just 0.04 behind to performer Eberechi Eze. The 21-year-old recorded two goals and 11 assists whilst also recording 1.9 key passes and 1.5 successful dribbles per 90.

  Olise is a creative force, who according to FBref sits in the top 10% for assists, progressive passing distance, key passes, crosses into the penalty area, and shot-creating actions per 90 minutes.

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  The French youth international impressed both Palace managers he played under, with Patrick Vieira stating:

  “When you look at the last round and this one, he played well. He can score goals, create chances and he is a special talent.”

  Whilst current boss Roy Hodgson stated: “What I make of him is that I think he is an enormous talent – he has got a great possibility to have a wonderful career and a wonderful future. We can only hope we at Crystal Palace can give him that platform.”

• •  Liverpool are turning their attention towards a £44m midfielder after missing out on Caicedo and Lavia.
  •  He shares similar attributes to Gini Wijnaldum did at Anfield.
  •  The player was once described as ‘one of the best midfielders’ on the planet.

  Liverpool have been credited with an interest in a long-term midfield target as manager Jurgen Klopp looks to complete his transfer activity and ensure his club is well-placed for an auspicious season.