Chelsea activate Michael Olise release clause but star faces long wait for debut

15 August 2023 , 15:38

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Chelsea activate Michael Olise release clause but star faces long wait for debut

Michael Olise is closing in on a move to Chelsea after the Blues activated the French under-21 star's release clause.

Olise, who spent time in the Blues' academy as a youngster, impressed for Crystal Palace last season and has attracted plenty of interest from the Premier League and beyond. Fresh reports claim the Blues have met a £35m release clause for the 21-year-old, though injury means he wouldn't be available to manager Mauricio Pochettino from the get-go.

The former Reading starlet tore his hamstring while playing for his country at the European Under-21 Championships back in June, with the injury requiring surgery. He wasn't involved on Saturday as Roy Hodgson's team began their Premier League season with a win away to Sheffield United last weekend.

The Athletic report that Chelsea are 'believed to have' met Olise's release clause. The Frenchman is under contract at Selhurst Park until 2026, but the sum would represent a significant profit on the £8m the Eagles paid to sign him in 2021.

There might not be a huge rush, though, seeing as the Blues would be unable to call upon him for a few weeks. The same report suggests his return date might not be until late September.

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Palace have already lost long-serving star Wilfried Zaha this summer, with the London side unable to convince the Ivorian to agree new terms. Zaha joined Galatasaray after the expiry of his contract, and manager Hodgson has admitted it would be a blow to also lose Olise.

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Michael Olise is still out after suffering an injury on France Under-21 duty (Flaviu Buboi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"It would be a bitter blow now if we have to start the season with top players being tempted away or other clubs coming in and persuading Palace to sell them," Hodgson said before the season opener. "I must say there's no desire on the club's part to sell any of those players."

Olise was one of the Premier League's more creative players last season, registering 11 assists as Palace recovered from a tough run to pull clear of relegation in the closing weeks of the campaign. His form at club level earned him a call-up for the Under-21 Euros, and he scored France's winner against Norway before suffering his injury.

“Michael’s a special talent," Palace team-mate Joel Ward said in May. "The world’s his oyster and he’s just getting better and better from game to game, so I think he’s going to go onto new heights and set the bar. If he continues that way, he’s going to go on to special things."

Tom Victor