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Chelsea reach crucial Michael Olise 'transfer agreement' after bidding £4m over the odds
Crystal Palace star Michael Olise made a big impression across his first two seasons of Premier League football.
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Chelsea target Michael Olise has reportedly agreed in principle to ditch Crystal Palace in favour of a switch to Stamford Bridge. Amid rival interest from Manchester City, the Blues are believed to have submitted a significant opening offer for the youngster, worth £4million more than his release clause.
Olise has wasted no time in establishing himself as one of the Premier League's top-tier creators. In his second season since stepping up from Championship side Reading, the 21-year-old notched 11 assists.
That left him fourth in the division, ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bruno Fernandes and Martin Odegaard. Chelsea and City are interested, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claiming that Olise has a £35m release clause in his contract.
Chelsea have reportedly acted swiftly to try and take City out of the equation, overshooting the contract clause with a package worth £39m.
According to RMC Sport, Olise has agreed to the move in principle, which would see him leave Palace after two seasons. However, there is no obligation for the Eagles to accept Chelsea's offer unless the value of the release clause is paid up front.
Olise spent seven years on the Blues' books as a youngster, leaving as a 15-year-old to join Reading. The crafty winger broke through with the Royals as a teenager and he has taken the step up to the top division in his stride.
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Any move to a high-flying Premier League side could depend on how Olise recovers from injury, however. The France under-21 star tore his hamstring while on international duty in June, and Palace boss Roy Hodgson expects him to miss the start of the season.
"We’ve known since the injury that it’s going to take a while for him to get fit again," he said. "It was a serious injury which required an operation. He’s well into his rehabilitation but it’s going to take a bit longer for him to recover. At the moment we’re just hoping that the rehabilitation will go well and that we get him back as quickly as possible."
Chelsea and City have both asked for additional information on Olise's recovery as they wait for clarity on whether a summer transfer will be possible.
Led by new boss Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea have scored nine times in their first two pre-season matches, with fans hoping that the Argentine's appointment will guarantee a clean break from last campaign's goal-shy performances.