Eagles Chairman Steve Parish has unveiled that Michael Olise has turned down Chelsea’s advances and instead chosen to pledge another four years to Crystal Palace.
The winger’s anticipated transfer to Stamford Bridge, triggered by Chelsea’s activation of his £35 million release clause, has taken an unexpected turn.
This revelation emerges in the wake of reports from Mail Sport, which shed light on concerns of ‘tapping-up’ surrounding Olise’s proposed move to Chelsea. Palace officials were disconcerted by Chelsea’s pursuit of the French Under-21 international and were disheartened by perceived breaches of proper conduct in their attempts to secure his signature.
Despite Chelsea’s considerable expenditure on player acquisitions, totaling almost £1 billion within 14 months under Todd Boehly’s ownership, their formal bid, believed to meet Olise’s release clause terms, did not sway the situation.
Tensions flared within Selhurst Park over suspicions that Chelsea’s interest in Olise might have contravened transfer protocols and established codes of behavior. Confidential sources even hinted that the South London club contemplated officially reporting their Premier League counterparts for potentially crossing the line with their approach.
However, Olise has now committed his future to the Eagles, extending his affiliation beyond the initial five-year contract inked when he transitioned from Reading to Palace in July 2021 for a fee of £8.37 million. Remarkably, Olise’s football journey took a different route, as he was released by Chelsea at the age of 14, having spent seven formative years in their academy during his school days.
