It has been a summer of change for Chelsea so far. They sacked Mauricio Pochettino at the end of the season, despite the fact he reached the Carabao Cup final, the FA Cup semi-final and managed to qualify for Europe. The Blues will play in the Europa Conference League next season as a result.
However, Chelsea’s board got rid of the Argentine and replaced him with Leicester City’s Championship-winning manager Enzo Maresca. The former Manchester City coach arrives at Stamford Bridge with great expectations surrounding him, especially given the ruthlessness of Chelsea’s board. The Italian is the sixth manager during their reign, including interim coaches.
Indeed, Chelsea have already dipped into the transfer market this summer, after heavy spending under Todd Boehly.
Former City academy defender Tosin Adarabioyo will reunite with his former coach with the Citizens Maresca, after joining from Fulham. Ironically, despite all their spending under Boehly, Tosin was a free transfer for the Blues.
Although they have not signed anyone else so far this summer, that has not stopped Chelsea from being linked with other potential incomings. In particular, there has been one apparent target who has constantly been linked, with the transfer thought to be moving quickly in the last few weeks.
Chelsea target Premier League winger
The player in question here is Crystal Palace and France U21 international Michael Olise. The 22-year-old has had a stellar season at Selhurst Park and has been linked with a move away from the club, with Chelsea a potential destination.
That is according to a statement from well-connected Chelsea social media presence Felix Johnston. Johnston explains that, according to his sources, “Chelsea are progressing” on a deal for the winger, before confirming that they are “in talks with Olise’s agent”, suggesting that they are quite far along in the deal.
However, the Blues are not thought to be the only club that want to bring Olise in over the summer. Chelsea’s Mancunian rivals, Manchester United, are also hoping to acquire his services this summer. However, as per Johnston, Olise “prefers a move to Chelsea” ahead of the Red Devils during the transfer window, putting the Blues in pole position.
Olise’s price is well documented, and it was reiterated recently by The Standard. Palace are thought to have placed a release clause worth £60m in the 22-year-old’s contract, and will not sell him for any less. Thus, both Chelsea and United would need to meet this valuation to prise the winger away from Selhurst Park.
How Olise compares to Cole Palmer
In terms of pure goals and assists this season, the Eagles sensation has been in superb form. Despite struggling with injury, and then having his return to the first-team fold somewhat mismanaged, the 22-year-old has still put up some superb numbers. He scored ten goals and registered six assists in just 19 games in the Premier League.
That is certainly comparable to the numbers that Chelsea’s talisman Cole Palmer posted. The Englishman, who joined Chelsea from Man City in the 2023 transfer window, won the Premier League’s Young Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 campaign.
In 34 Premier League games, Palmer scored 22 goals and registered 11 assists. He has more combined goal involvements than any other Premier League player last season, as per Sofascore.
Games
19
34
Goals
10
22
Assists
6
11
Minutes
1,277
2,628
Both Olise and Palmer’s stats on Fbref are also comparable. Both players have a wand of a left foot, which showed with their goal involvements last season. They had very similar non-penalty expect goals numbers per 90 minutes last term, with Palmer averaging 0.38npxG to Olise’s 0.33npxG.
Not only that, they are both very similar creatively. Olise’s 2.54 key passes per 90 slightly beats Palmer’s 2.47 key passes per 90, although the Englishman averages more passes into the final third per 90, with 4.67 compared to Olise’s 3.03.
Players like Olise and Palmer are constantly finding ways to make things happen on the pitch, another thing reflected in their impressive stats. The Palace star averages 5.79 shot-creating actions and 0.99 goal-creating actions per 90, which just slightly trumps Chelsea’s number 20. The England international averages 5.57 shot-creating actions and 0.89 goal-creating actions per 90, which is still an incredibly effective number.
One of the best things about both players’ games is their dribbling ability, where they are able to slalom between defenders, using their impressive ability to change direction at pace. Indeed, this is also shown in their stats. Olise averages 5.85 take-ons and completes an average of 2.82 per 90. Comparatively, Palmer averages 3.57 take-ons, all the while completing 1.79 take-ons per 90.
However, neither player just dribbles for the sake of it. In actual fact, they are very progressive when carrying the ball. The Chelsea target has managed 4.79 progressive carries, and Palmer just a tick less, with 4.02 progressive carries.
One of the big worries for Chelsea fans, if they sign Olise, is how to fit the Frenchman and Palmer into the same side, given they are both left-footed right-wingers of a very similar profile. However, both wide men are adaptable, with the latter having played 18 times last season as a number 10, and even leading the line as a centre-forward on seven occasions. Similarly, the former can also play behind the striker, having done that once for Palace last term.
The 22-year-old is very highly thought of in the footballing world. Former Man City and Aston Villa defender Micah Richards explained on The Rest is Football Podcast that he believes Olise will be “world-class” one day. Richards then went on to say that Olise is “going to be a superstar”.
Should Chelsea manage to get the deal for Olise over the line it would certainly be a statement of intent. Of course, they will have to fend off interest from Man United in order to land the winger, but if they sign him, it will be a superb acquisition.
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