Liverpool tipped to complete Olise transfer after Ronaldo and Pogba comparison

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Crystal Palace star Michael Olise is in demand (Image: Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
Crystal Palace star Michael Olise is in demand (Image: Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)

Liverpool have been told that in-demand Crystal Palace star Michael Olise would be welcomed into the Anfield dressing room - unlike he if moved to arch rivals Manchester United.

Olise, 22, recently emerged as a transfer target for United in the wake of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's £1.3billion agreement to become a 25 per cent stakeholder at Old Trafford. The French playmaker is also receiving interest from Tottenham, while Chelsea had a bid for him rejected last August which prompted Palace to tie him down on a new four-year contract.

However, the agreement includes a release clause worth around £60million which becomes active this summer, with United hoping to capitalise on his availability and relegation-threatened Palace keen on re-signing right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka as part of the deal. Liverpool could still throw their hat in the ring, especially if Jurgen Klopp takes the advice of ex-Reds midfielder Jan Molby.

Molby told Goal : "It won't do Crystal Palace any favours, but I'd take the boy Michael Olise. He looks a terrific player. You look at players and ask, 'How far can he go?' It looks to me like he has got the whole package. He could be within what Liverpool are prepared to pay in terms of a transfer fee.

"He's signed the new contract, that I'm sure has a release clause in it, so he will probably be a straightforward transfer, but I don't know if they are interested or not. If I was Liverpool, I would certainly have a good look at that boy."

Klopp's dream Liverpool line up as last-gasp January transfers rejected eiqriqreiqruinvKlopp's dream Liverpool line up as last-gasp January transfers rejected

Then came the topic of Olise's attitude, which is rumoured to have been a problem while he spent time in Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea's academy setups when he was younger. Molby, though, is confident that the 22-year-old wouldn't cause any major issues for boss Klopp thanks to the leadership of Liverpool's senior players.

"I think that you walk into a dressing room like Liverpool and the dressing room polices itself," the Dane, who spent 12 years at Anfield, explained. "You will have people - not as many as there used to be with James Milner, Jordan Henderson leaving - but the likes of Virgil van Dijk and the people around him, Trent Alexander-Arnold and the experienced members of the pack, they will police that.

Your turn! Should Liverpool make a bid for Michael Olise? Let us know your verdict in the comments section.

Liverpool tipped to complete Olise transfer after Ronaldo and Pogba comparisonMichael Olise is expected to leave Crystal Palace this summer (Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)

"I don't think there is anywhere to go other than with the rest of them. Liverpool is one of those football clubs where a player will never win an argument against a Liverpool manager or the club. The club will always be supported by everyone."

Molby then decided to compare Liverpool's dressing room to United's. "You had the situation at Manchester United where there was a lot of support for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba - you would never experience that at Liverpool," the 60-year-old declared. "If Olise came, he would have nowhere to go other than to do and go with what the rest of them do. I think he would be absolutely fine."

Palace maintain that Olise isn't for sale in January and are desperate for the former France youth international to be part of their survival effort. Roy Hodgson's side have won just one of their last 11 games in all competitions and were dumped out of the FA Cup on Wednesday after a replay by Everton. The Eagles next make the tricky trip to Arsenal on Saturday.

Nathan Ridley

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