6 months ago
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Arsenal are leading Chelsea in the race to sign Crystal Palace forward Michael Olise in the summer transfer window.
A hamstring injury meant Olise was sidelined for half of Palace’s campaign, but the 22-year-old was able to showcase his undoubted quality when fit, racking up ten goals and six assists in 19 appearances.
Olise’s outstanding performances over the past three seasons have not gone unnoticed amongst the Premier League’s elite and a tug of war is expected for the attacker when the summer transfer window opens for business on June 14.
It’s understood Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle, Liverpool and Chelsea all circling and Palace are bracing themselves for a potential bidding frenzy for Olise. Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta – Palace’s two other most valuable assets – are also attracting strong interest.
The Daily Mirror report that Chelsea will go all out to sign Olise, regardless of who they appoint as manager to replace Mauricio Pochettino. The Blues are said to be ‘desperate’ to get their man after missing out on a deal 12 months ago.
Stamford Bridge bosses will press ahead with transfer business and expect Pochettino’s successor to concentrate purely footballing matters, which is what caused friction with the Argentine in the first place.
However, it’s claimed Arsenal ‘have the edge’ in the chase for Olise given the player has ambitions of competing in the Champions League next term, something Chelsea, of course, are unable to offer.
Chelsea are not prepared to give up their pursuit of Olise, though, and are ready to test Palace’s resolve for their prized possession, who is valued at around £60million.
Palace are set to make a tidy profit on Olise considering they landed the former France U21 international for a fee of just £8.37million from Reading three years ago.
Olise is tied into a deal at Selhurst Park until 2027 after putting pen to paper on a four-year contract with the Eagles last August.
Speaking after Palace’s thumping 5-0 defeat of Aston Villa, Oliver Glasner insisted he had not given up hope of keeping hold of Olise, Eze and Mateta amid interest from some of England’s top clubs.
‘I am very confident they’ll be here because they have contracts and no one has told me they’ll be leaving,’ the Palace head coach told reporters.
‘I think what we have done is that we have shown them that Crystal Palace have ambition.
‘We have shown them how we want to play, which path we want to go down, which journey we want to ride together. They can show their strengths, qualities and personalities and express themselves.
‘They fit together. This is what we can do. If something else happens, then this is football.
‘But Crystal Palace will be able to build a new Selhurst – because it will cost a lot of money.’
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