Michael Olise: Why the Palace prodigy is a transfer target for Premier League big guns

• Published before Olise scored in Palace's 3-1 win at Wolves on Saturday

Michael Olise was snapped up from Reading at the start of the 2021/22 season, and he has grown to become a key player at Selhurst Park.

Though Olise's season has been disrupted by injuries, his two goals against Manchester United took his tally to nine for 2023-24.

Impressively, he has averaged a goal involvement every 84 minutes when factoring in the four goals he has also set up.

He also ranks first for big chances created and second for goals, assists and successful dribbles in the Palace squad, underscoring his invaluable contribution to the team.

New manager Oliver Glasner has brought a refreshing attacking approach at the club, and Olise has been a big beneficiary of this change.

The 22-year-old looks even more effective in attack and is performing at a level where his future is once again under discussion.

Michael Olise Transfer Value - how much is he worth now?

According to our Player Valuation Model, Olise has a current Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €38.3 million. His consistent performances have made him one of the most sought-after attackers in the market, leading to a rise in his value.

Last August, Chelsea came close to securing Olise after activating his £35 million release clause. However, the Eagles did well to tie him to a new contract, which was especially crucial after losing Wilfried Zaha on a free transfer.

His new contract reportedly includes a release clause of £60 million. With interest from top clubs like Man Utd, Arsenal, and Liverpool, there is a big possibility this clause will be triggered come summer.

Most in-form attacker in the Premier league?

Olise has mostly been used on the right wing, but is showing himself to be a great creative outlet who can drift inside into the half spaces and make things happen for his team.

Having played as an attacking midfielder in the past, it is no wonder that he has been very effective playing as one of two 10s in Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 setup.

Olise’s carrying and dribbling numbers are off the charts. This has been especially important for a Palace team which has struggled to progress the ball and retain it in the final third.

On a 90-minute basis, his 3.69 carries into the final third and 5.74 take-ons at a 54.3% success rate rank him very high amongst positional peers in the Premier League.

This was on display against United. For his first goal, he picked up the ball in the right half-space, skipped past a few players before driving into space and shooting past Andre Onana.

That sort of technical quality with end product is a reason why many top teams have been closely following his progress.

The Frenchman registered 11 assists in the Premier League last season, and has matched that on a per 90 minutes basis this season as well.

The thing you notice with Olise is how often he plays with his head up. This awareness,

combined with his ability to manipulate the ball and find team-mates, puts him in the same league as the top creators in the league.

In terms of goal output, he is now taking twice the amount of shots (3.93 per 90) that he did last season. His nine goals have come at an impressive rate of 0.74 per 90, putting him amongst the top 3% of wingers and attacking midfielders in the English top flight.

In addition to his on-ball quality, Olise works hard off the ball. With 4.92 recoveries, 2.23 tackles and interceptions per 90, the intensity and quality of his defending is high and does not impact his attacking output.

This aligns with the philosophy of the top coaches out there, and soon we will find out which one will manage to prise him away from South London.

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