Ornstein drops Olise bomb on Chelsea and Man Utd

Tom Weber

• Updated: 5 Jun 2024 11:11 BST
• 4 min read

Those close to Michael Olise expect the Crystal Palace star to join a Champions League-calibre club this summer, according to David Ornstein.

Arguably the Premier League's most in-demand player right now, Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise appears to be almost certainly on the move this summer.

Boasting top-end Premier League quality and with a set price of €70 million due to his release clause, clubs know what they would get if they were to sign the Frenchman, hence why so many of them are keen.

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In recent weeks, however, it emerged that the race to land the 22-year-old would ultimately come down to Chelsea and Man Utd. The latter consider Olise one of their top summer targets, while the Blues have now made contact with him, as revealed on earlier on Tuesday.

However, according to The Athletic's transfer expert David Ornstein, Olise's future may not lie with either of these two giants.

Ornstein on Olise

Speaking on The Athletic's YouTube channel, Ornstein provided a quite intriguing update on the future of Olise. The journalist claims that those close to Olise expect him to move to the highest level possible upon leaving Palace.

Neither Chelsea nor Man Utd can offer him Champions League football. That doesn't automatically mean a potential move is out of the question, but it could complicate things should other clubs take concrete steps towards signing him.

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"This is somebody there is a feeling around that he should be aiming as high as possible. You know, I've always been led to believe that Champions League would be the step he would take after Crystal Palace," Ornstein said.

"Now that's not ruling out a really exciting project. If he holds talks with Man Utd and he really likes what he hears and the numbers are right -because they are a team interested in him - and it all adds up, then maybe something does happen there."

"But I just think you need to know with Michael Olise that if Champions League clubs are in the frame and he is going to leave what is a really stable and exciting project at Crystal Palace right now under Oliver Glasner, with so many talented players, then you would imagine he would be looking for the step that's really going to allow him to challenge for - and win - the biggest trophies in world football."