Michael Olise’s future will be one of the biggest topics during this summer’s transfer window.
As reported in this week’s Transfer DealSheet, Chelsea have asked Crystal Palace for permission to speak to the 22-year-old. Newcastle United and Bayern Munich have also contacted Palace, and Manchester City are interested in the winger, too.
With those options, who should Olise choose? And does he even need to leave Selhurst Park this summer?
Who better to make the argument than The Athletic’s experts? Here, they have laid out their arguments and explained why Olise should join (or stay at) the clubs they cover.
Bayern Munich
In previous years, a young player queuing for game time behind one of the strongest attacking midfields in European football would have been the high road to career stasis.
Not now. Thomas Muller is in his twilight years, Serge Gnabry’s form has long dropped off its 2021 peak, and Kingsley Coman is increasingly brittle.
Gnabry and Muller are two options for Bayern out wide (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Things are not as they used to be. Does that mean that Olise would automatically start? No. Bayern have an enviable collection of young attackers. Jamal Musiala, 21, is already a star. Mathys Tel, 19, is threatening to become one.
But that’s the proposition for Olise: join a club at which there will be a genuine contest for places, and where — all things being well — he would have the opportunity to grow and develop as one of a group who should stay together for some time and with a virtual guarantee of Champions League football.
Vincent Kompany represents one of the biggest coaching risks Bayern have ever taken. Whatever Kompany proves to be, though, he has consistently shown a willingness to give younger players an opportunity and will presumably do so again.
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
Chelsea
Of all the clubs making a move for Olise, Chelsea should generate the smallest element of surprise.
Chelsea thought they were very close to signing Olise last summer but negotiations with Palace broke down. They certainly felt like the player was keen to move back to the club where he spent seven years before leaving at 14.
Acquiring another winger/attacking player is one of the club’s main priorities for this window so Olise was always going to be top of their wishlist.
Some may wonder why given Chelsea are well-stocked in this department. There have Cole Palmer, Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke, with Omari Hutchinson returning from an impressive loan at Ipswich Town. New manager Enzo Maresca has Angelo Gabriel and Diego Moreira, both 19, as options, too.
But out of all of those, only Palmer has been added to Chelsea’s squad since they made a big push to acquire Olise in 2023 and he is also the only member of that contingent who can consider himself a guaranteed starter. The plan is for him to play more inside as a No 10 anyway, with Olise and Madueke providing competition for places on the right flank. Hutchinson could be sold, too.
Should Chelsea convince Olise to join them, the prospect of him combining with Palmer will give opposition defences sleepless nights. This is before 17-year-olds Kendry Paez and Willian Estevao, who is expected to complete a move from Palmeiras soon, add to the strength in depth next year.
There is a strong family connection for Olise already — his younger brother Richard, 19, has been at the academy since under-nine level and was given a new contract last month.
Simon Johnson
Manchester City
The reasons for joining City are fairly obvious, even if there is some doubt about how long they may last. The pitch is simple: come and play the best football of your life while winning trophies, thanks in no small part to Pep Guardiola, one of the best managers of all time.
The doubt, of course, is exactly how long Guardiola will still be at the club for. But that can be finalised later, if not planned for right now.
In the meantime, Olise has a fairly obvious spot on the right wing, one of the few positions at City that are not especially stacked with direct rivals. There is Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, of course, but they are often called into action in the middle and if Guardiola wants a more traditional winger, Olise would be top of the pecking order.
Foden and Silva, two wider players, tend to feature in the middle for City (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
City intended for Jeremy Doku to play there but have discovered that he is more comfortable on the left, which is where Jack Grealish also plays.
City are working to finalise the signing of Savio from Troyes, and though he can play on the right, most of his best work on loan at Girona came from the left. He may even head back there on loan anyway.
Olise has also suffered from hamstring issues and City could show him how they have taken care of Erling Haaland to minimise his injuries in his two years at City. Some more time on the bench might be part of that, given the inevitable rotation with Foden and Bernardo, but Haaland’s injuries are managed in other ways and that presents another way for Olise to realise his potential.
Sam Lee
Newcastle United
Newcastle cannot provide European football for 2024-25, they cannot pay as much as their rivals, and they cannot offer a continuation of the London lifestyle — yet potential legendary status could await Olise on Tyneside.
At any of the so-called ‘Big Six’ clubs, Olise would just be another very good player. At Newcastle, he could become the face of their ambitious project. If he helped deliver a first trophy in more than 50 years to a fanbase yearning for success, then he would be adored.
Olise need only look at the rapid improvement made by Anthony Gordon on the opposite flank for inspiration. Under Eddie Howe, Olise would give himself the best chance of fulfilling his enormous potential and become one of the best wingers in Europe. The head coach works tirelessly to develop players and he views the Frenchman as the ideal right-sided forward for his attack-minded 4-3-3 system.
While Olise’s end product in last season was impressive, with 10 goals and six assists from 19 Premier League appearances, imagine the figures he could return when playing in a side with Gordon, Alexander Isak, Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes et al.
Newcastle may not be able to offer him everything he wants immediately, but they are a coming force in English football. If becoming an icon is what Olise is seeking, then Newcastle should be the club for him.
Chris Waugh
Stay at Crystal Palace
There are compelling reasons for Olise to stay at Palace for one more season. In each campaign, he has been affected by injury, meaning that, even with his outstanding performances, we have yet to see him at his absolute best.
Another year at Palace playing every week and showcasing his exceptional talent would surely offer him the pick of any club. The world would open up more for him and he would be more likely to move to a Champions League side and play at least semi-regularly.
Olise with Glasner last season (Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images)
Then there is the financial reward. Further demonstration of his ability would only increase the wages he could ask for — although money is not the driving force for Olise.
He enjoys a strong relationship with Eberechi Eze and the squad is a harmonious one in which he is the star. That is surely worth something.
Outside of personal accolades, there is the excitement and optimism that Palace can go on to improve and achieve. Oliver Glasner transformed the side and has a clear vision. He is targeting Europe for Palace — there is an opportunity to be part of something special for Olise.
Matt Woosnam
(Top photo: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
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