Crystal Palace forward Michael Olise is free to speak with Chelsea after his £35m release clause was met; The 21-year-old is currently out injured after having surgery on a torn hamstring sustained on international duty
Wednesday 16 August 2023 08:47, UK
Chelsea are understood to have activated Crystal Palace forward Michael Olise's release clause.
The clause thought to be £35m. Chelsea can now speak to the player to discuss personal terms and conduct a medical.
The decision rests with Olise if he wants to talk to Chelsea.
The 21-year-old is currently out injured after having surgery on a torn hamstring sustained playing for the France U21s.
Speaking last week on the eve of the new Premier League season, Roy Hodgson admitted he was unsure whether Olise would remain at the club this summer and said the forward's future is "totally out of my hands".
Treble winners Man City are also thought to be interested in Olise, who was involved in 13 Premier League goals last season after providing 11 assists and netting twice.
Olise's strong form saw him win the Palace players' Player of the Season award, while he has three years left on his Eagles contract.
When asked how confident he is that Olise will stay at Palace, Hodgson exclusively told Sky Sports News: "No one knows really at this moment in time.
"If there are clubs who are desperately or seriously preparing a bid and tempting him away then he'll have a decision to make.
"I can only wait and see if there are clubs who are going to come in and make those bids and tempt him away, and in that situation what decision is he going to make, because he also knows that we are really very keen to keep him here.
"We really believe this is a good place for him and that we can provide him with a very good platform to go forward in his career.
"But unfortunately these matters are totally out of my hands - everything will depend I suppose on what happens in the future.
"You can never be certain as a manager that the players you've got, you like and you want are always definitely going to stay because we have a transfer market.
"I can only hope that transfer market doesn't on this occasion punish us by persuading one of our very, very important key players to move."
Who will be on the move this summer when the transfer window opens on June 14 and closes at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?
Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
