Chelsea Poised to Renew Interest in £60m Manchester United Target

Chelsea is reportedly set to compete with Manchester United for the signature of Crystal Palace’s highly-rated attacker Michael Olise during this summer’s transfer window.

Last year, Chelsea was strongly linked with Olise and nearly secured his signing before he extended his contract at Selhurst Park. Despite this, the 22-year-old’s future is once again the subject of intense speculation, with Manchester United reportedly making him a key target for the 2024-25 season.

According to the London Evening Standard, Chelsea remains keen on Olise and continues to see him as a major transfer objective.

The report indicates that while the release clause in Olise’s current contract is around £60m, the actual structure of the buy-out fee might allow for a lower purchase price.

Chelsea has already made a significant move this summer by signing Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from Fulham. The 26-year-old defender was also linked with Manchester United but has become the first addition under new head coach Enzo Maresca.

Michael Olise appears to be the next target for the London club. Despite injury issues, the former France Under-21 international delivered an impressive performance for Palace last season, scoring 10 goals and providing six assists in 19 Premier League appearances.

His contributions included three goals and two assists in his final three matches of the season.

Olise made notable impacts against top clubs, scoring against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and netting twice against Manchester United at Selhurst Park.

Olise’s contract with Crystal Palace runs until June 2027, but the existence of a release clause means the length of the deal might not prevent a summer departure.

Given his strong finish to the season, Palace would likely have valued him at over £70m, especially with interest from major European clubs. However, the £60m release clause could make him a bargain acquisition.

Manchester United can offer Europa League football next season, thanks to their FA Cup triumph, while Chelsea will participate in the Europa Conference League. The chance to remain in London might be appealing to Olise, adding another layer of intrigue to this transfer saga.

It will be fascinating to see how the pursuit of Olise unfolds in the coming weeks, as Chelsea and Manchester United vie for his signature.