Transfer Talk: Premier League suitors ready to raid Palace for crown jewel Olise

Michael Olise was a key man in Crystal Palace's resurgence under Roy Hodgson last season.

The London-born winger has been linked with a move to both Chelsea and Manchester City this summer, with reports suggesting that he has a £35million release clause.

But Palace will be hoping to keep hold of their No7 as they look to target a top-10 finish in 2023-24.

We turn the spotlight on the 21-year-old and his options ahead of the new campaign.

A true Blue

Olise will have one eye on Euro 2024, having made seven appearances for France Under-21s.

A move across London to Chelsea may give him the platform he needs to earn his first senior call-up for Les Blues alongside potential team-mates Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana and Christopher Nkunku. 

Mauricio Pochettino seems well-equipped with attacking talent but Olise's versatility would make him a handy option in the final third.

The Reading academy graduate also knows the corridors of the Blues' training ground well, having spent seven years at Cobham between 2009 and 2016.

City switch

City have been going through a rebuild this summer having already said goodbye to captain Ilkay Gundogan and with the futures of Riyad Mahrez, Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva still up in the air.

If they are to build on their Treble-winning season, the Premier League champions will need to continue to bring in direct replacements for their departures, as they did with the recruitment of Mateo Kovacic.

Olise could fill any void left by Mahrez and may eventually surpass the quality that the 32-year-old Algerian international has showcased at the Etihad for the last five years.

The Palace trickster recorded 11 assists in the English top flight last term compared to Mahrez's 10 — but he did only score twice while the former Leicester man bagged five times.

A matter of time

Hodgson admitted at the end of last season that it might only be a matter of time before a top-six club come in for either Olise or fellow Selhurst Park sensation Eberechi Eze.

He said: "If I was [owner] Steve Parish I would be [worried].

"But I'm Roy Hodgson and I wish them all well. I don't have any conversations regarding contracts and what the club wants to do.

"I do believe that if those two players continue to progress as they have, why can't they go on to have the sort of career that Wilf [Zaha] has had?"

Foggy future

There is no guarantee that Olise will leave Selhurst Park this summer as interested parties appear cautious after the young talent tore his hamstring at the European Under-21 Championship last month.

Palace have not given a specific return date but Hodgson has revealed that his prized asset has undergone surgery and will require a lot of time to get back up to full fitness.

His importance to Hodgson's plans will have only increased with the exit of Wilfried Zaha to Galatasaray on a free transfer too.

No fan wants to see a star player get injured but the Eagles faithful may take comfort in knowing that Olise's injury could keep him in South London for another year at least.