Chelsea have placed Crystal Palace star Michael Olise "in their list" of targets for the summer, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Who is Michael Olise?
Olise is naturally an attacking midfielder who has played his football in the Premier League and indeed at Selhurst Park since joining from Reading back in 2021, where he was an academy graduate. He's since gone on to become a regular feature of Roy Hodgson's first-team having made 31 starts in the top-flight last season.
Despite still having another three years to run on his contract, the 21-year-old established himself as the Eagles' second best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.99 during the previous campaign and this form has already attracted interest from two clubs in particular in the form of both Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
Mauricio Pochettino will know that he has to enter the market for central reinforcements before the end of the ongoing window having already lost the likes of Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and N'Golo Kante just to name a few, and if the following update is to be believed, the Frenchman has been highlighted as a new option.
Are Chelsea signing Michael Olise?
Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that Chelsea have identified Olise as a serious summer target but are currently holding back to discover the possible extent of an injury that he sustained in June. He wrote:
"Chelsea and Manchester City have both Michael Olise in their list. Understand there’s release clause into his contract — around £35m. #CFC #MCFC Both clubs are waiting for clarity about his conditions as he picked up injury last month."
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly hasn't been afraid to empty his pockets so far this summer having recruited the likes of RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku and Villarreal's Nicolas Jackson for decent fees, and with Olise being available for just £35m, he would be an absolute bargain and a player that the chief should definitely consider making a move for.
The Nike-sponsored "joy to watch", as lauded by Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison, racked up 13 goal contributions (11 assists and two goals) in 37 Premier League appearances last season, form which saw him receive five man-of-the-match awards, but he was equally a threat even when his name wasn't on the scoresheet.
The Hammersmith-born talent recorded a total of 242 crosses and 143 shot-creating actions over the course of the previous campaign, both statistics being the highest out of the whole of his squad, as per FBRef, showing his constant desire to get involved in the action and produce moments of quality for his fellow teammates in the final third.
Finally, Olise would be able to add wonderful versatility to the boss' ranks having operated in seven different positions since the start of his career, including four roles in the midfield, out wide on both the left and right flanks and even as a second striker, so should he put pen to paper, it would be a massive coup for Pochettino's new era.