Chelsea reportedly do not plan to revive their interest in Crystal Palace trickster and Manchester United target Michael Olise this summer.
According to 90min, Chelsea have ruled out a move to re-sign Manchester United-linked Michael Olise from Crystal Palace in the summer following the success of Cole Palmer, with Todd Boehly and Co. prioritising bolstering other areas of the squad instead.
The Crystal Palace winger is one of the most in-demand and coveted creative players in the Premier League right now, and there is serious interest from the European elite.
Chelsea are set for another busy summer as they try to push the club back to the top of the Premier League and match their supporters’ expectations.
The Blues have several players on their shortlist, and Mauricio Pochettino is demanding that the club sign some of the best talent available on the market.
Chelsea have a number of positions to fill, including the need for a top-nine to help them turn draws into much-needed wins.
There’s a valid argument to be had about whether they will benefit from bringing in another creative spark to help whoever is upfront to notch as many goals as possible aside from Palmer, something Olise is very capable of.
Last summer, Chelsea came close to landing his services. The Blues thought they had triggered a complex £35 million release clause in his previous deal, but this was not the case, and so they backed away from a transfer after receiving legal threats from Palace, snapping Palmer from Manchester City instead.
The Pensioners now believe they are well-stocked in the wide attacking areas. And after getting stellar output from Palmer, they are not actively chasing after Olise.
There’s also big competition from Manchester United, who are considered the favourites as things stand.
Manchester United in pole position to sign Michael Olise
Manchester United’s right wing issues are well documented, with high-profile names letting manager Erik ten Hag down earlier in the season.
Jadon Sancho launched a slew of accusations against the Dutchman, which forced the manager to banish him from the squad and subsequently loan him out to former club Borussia Dortmund in January.
Antony, who was the former Ajax coach’s big-money purchase in his first season, has been a major flop, with off-field controversies partly to blame for a lack of form.
Recent reports have suggested that Man United have identified Olise as a key target by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his recruitment team.
The talented 22-year-old has ambitions to play at a top club and would be open to an Old Trafford move.
Palace rewarded Olise with a new contract at the end of last season. Despite signing the new contract in August, it was widely believed that the Eagles had secured the value of a move in the forthcoming window.
The contract also removed the old release clause of £35 million and allowed the club to demand a very high buyout fee, standing between £50 million and £60 million, for their star player.
