'Why would Olise choose Man Utd?' asks club legend

Stuart Telford

• 11 Jan 2024 10:13 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Crystal Palace star Michael Olise, but former Red Devil Mikael Silvestre isn't convinced he would join.

Liverpool and Arsenal are also reportedly interested in the Palace man, who has contributed five goals and an assist from nine Premier League games this season.

The London-born France U21 international has struggled with a hamstring injury this term, but that hasn't put off his potential suitors, and United see him as an upgrade on Antony, who has struggled in his second season.

They also have an ace in the hole, with Palace having long been determined to bring Aaron Wan-Bissaka back to the club. He could now be used as a makeweight.

But Silvestre doesn't see the stars aligning for his former employers and Olise.

Silvestre: 'I'm not convinced…'

"100 per cent," he told GGRecon when asked if Olise could make the step up to a top six club. "I first saw him when he was playing for Reading, so I've witnessed him developing in England and with the France U21 team.

"He's an exciting player who has the potential to easily attract offers from the top six clubs in the Premier League clubs.

"But the question is, why would he choose Manchester United right now? I'm not convinced that the club is capable of attracting a player like Michael at the moment."

Olise is valued at €27.8 million (£24m) by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, but Palace will hold out for significantly more with the player still under contract until June 2027.

Indeed, buying clubs would likely have to exceed the record £50m they received for Wan-Bissaka in 2019.

United could be a significantly different proposition by the summer, however, once Sir Jim Ratcliffe's 'sporting control' at Old Trafford is in full swing.