Oliver Glasner has teased a significant piece of Crystal Palace team news ahead of their visit to Anfield on Sunday.

The Eagles were unable to do Liverpool a favour last weekend, going down 4-2 at home to Manchester City despite taking an early lead, although they had consolation in the form of Michael Olise returning from injury off the bench after two months on the sidelines.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference this afternoon, the 49-year-old suggested that the French winger could be in line to make his first start since the end of January against the Reds.

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Glasner said of the forward (via cpfc.co.uk): “He’s closer [to starting] than the week before. He had the whole week training with us.

“We’ve had a very good week in training, high quality and a lot of intensity, which is very important because Liverpool are maybe that team in the world that plays with the highest pressure – you never have time. It’s been a really good week and Michael was part of it, so he’s close to starting.”

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Olise was linked with a potential move to Liverpool during the January transfer window, so the Anfield hierarchy may be watching his performance with interest if indeed he’s selected to start on Sunday.

The 22-year-old had been in flying form before his injury, with four goals and three assists in six Premier League games (Transfermarkt), and he’ll definitely need to be watched closely by the Reds’ defence – certainly a lot more closely than Atalanta’s attackers were last night.

While he’s yet to score or set up a goal against us in five previous tussles, the Frenchman may well fancy his chances of doing so this weekend, based on LFC’s horrific performance in the Europa League on Thursday.

We always want to see the best players in action at the highest level, and it’s great that Olise is now back after two months out injured. We just hope that Liverpool can keep him and his teammates quiet on Sunday!

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Transfer reporter Ben Jacobs has recommended to ‘keep an eye on Liverpool’ regarding a potential move for one Premier League player in 2024.

According to ESPN, the Reds are interested in Michael Olise, with the Crystal Palace winger also being linked with Chelsea and Manchester United.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs doesn’t expect the 22-year-old to depart Selhurst Park this month but can envisage a transfer in the summer once a higher release clause becomes active.

The journalist said: “I don’t see anyone succeeding (or even necessarily trying) in signing Michael Olise this window, but there could well be a battle for his signature over the summer when a release clause, in his new contract, kicks in.

“The clause is higher than his old and complicated £35m one which Chelsea tried to trigger over the summer only to see Olise pen a new contract. It’s too early to say if Chelsea will return, but I would keep an eye on Liverpool and Manchester United.

“Olise is having a superb season so far and a summer exit from Palace could be a real possibility because he wants to play European football. The extension at Palace wasn’t necessarily signed to stay long-term so much as protect all parties and raise the release clause because the previous one was set at a bit of a bargain.”

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The Palace winger has been earmarked in some quarters as a potential long-term successor to Mo Salah at Liverpool, with both players typically lining out on the right flank.

The 22-year-old has been in a rich vein of form, with four goals and an assist in his last four Premier League games, taking his tally for the season to five strikes in just 675 minutes on the pitch (one every 135 minutes).

Jacobs’ point about Olise seeking European football is pertinent, with the Eagles highly unlikely to grant him that ambition in 2024 unless they triumph in the FA Cup. That might play into Liverpool’s hands given that there’s also a possibility (albeit a much smaller one) of both United and Chelsea also missing out on Europe.

It’s been claimed that the Reds would be willing to pay as much as £60m for the Frenchman, which is quite a jump from the expiring £35m release clause that the journalist mentioned, but ideally the winger could be signed for a fee somewhere in the middle of those two figures.

Should his suitors from Manchester and west London continue to flounder, Premier League leaders LFC may well emerge as the frontrunners for the gifted Palace attacker. At least we shouldn’t have any difficulty offering him European football next season, if indeed we make our move in the summer!

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Fabrizio Romano has called for patience around the Michael Olise transfer story, with the Crystal Palace forward set to stay put in London this January.

The summer window, however, could be a very different story for the 22-year-old.

“Olise to Liverpool? Guys, Olise is going nowhere in January. This is the feeling at least today,” the Italian journalist spoke on Kick. “In the summer, it could be different it could be different because he has a release clause. So, in that case, the story could be different for Olise.”

The Merseysiders are said to be joined in their interest by Chelsea and Manchester United. It also remains unclear whether Manchester City will revive their links after a failed attempt in the summer.

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A summer move is more likely

Whilst seeing Liverpool sign a forward in winter window wouldn’t necessarily be the most shocking thing in the world (cough, cough Cody Gakpo, cough cough Luis Diaz), it seems a little unlikely at this stage.

The Merseysiders will need to conduct some level of future planning over the next two windows, of course. Especially with Mo Salah’s future still far from certain.

History tells us the club would much rather run down the Egyptian’s contract than see him sold off this summer.

With only Saudi Arabia capable of providing the kind of ludicrous fee to turn Liverpool’s head, it’s difficult to imagine the project being tempting enough to prise our No.11 away from Merseyside.

Either way, it looks like we’ll have to be patient on both fronts!

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Liverpool could do with some defensive reinforcement in January but it seems the club is also keeping an eye further afield on potential signings for the summer.

Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise is one name that has entered the transfer consciousness of late following a string of remarkable performances for the Eagles.

ESPN’s Mark Ogden now reports that the Reds are joined by Chelsea and Manchester United in holding interest in the former Manchester City target.

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Why on earth would you go to London/Manchester?

Barring the return of the blue half of Manchester, we have to ask: why the bloody hell would a footballer consider the projects at Manchester United or Chelsea over that on the successful side of Merseyside?

The Red Devils may frantically point to the arrival of INEOS CEO Jim Ratcliffe as the first sign of positive change at Old Trafford.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are hardly in great shape themselves, even if they do boast a top-class manager in Mauricio Pochettino.

Perhaps it comes down to what anyone can offer in wages and game time.

Though, surely if you’re in Olise’s shoes, watching a rebuilt Liverpool side set its sights on all four possible trophies in a “transitionary season”, you have to wonder at the dizzying heights to come.

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Supporters have been urged to ‘keep an eye on Liverpool’ in the race for Michael Olise’s signature this summer.

That’s the verdict of journalist Ben Jacobs who believes Manchester United and Chelsea could also show their interest in the Crystal Palace winger.

Despite Palace’s struggles this term the 22-year-old is enjoying a strong campaign with five goals and one assist in nine Premier League games.

The France U21 international was close to joining Chelsea in the summer but that move fell through and the ex-Reading man instead signed a new deal at Selhurst Park.

“I don’t see anyone succeeding (or even necessarily trying) in signing Michael Olise this window, but there could well be a battle for his signature over the summer when a release clause, in his new contract, kicks in,” Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT. “The clause is higher than his old and complicated £35m one which Chelsea tried to trigger over the summer only to see Olise pen a new contract. It’s too early to say if Chelsea will return, but I would keep an eye on Liverpool and Manchester United.

“Olise is having a superb season so far and a summer exit from Palace could be a real possibility because he wants to play European football. The extension at Palace wasn’t necessarily signed to stay long term so much as protect all parties, and raise the release clause because the previous one was set at a bit of a bargain.”

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Olise operates on the right wing and has the tendency to cut inside onto his favoured left foot.

If he was to complete a move to Liverpool he would have to settle for a spot behind Mo Salah in the pecking order but at 22 years of age he could learn a lot from the Egyptian King to set him in good stead for the remainder of his career.

It remains to be seen whether clubs in Saudi Arabia will continue their interest in our No. 11 in the summer which means a move for the Palace No. 7 would make even more sense.

Reports have suggested that Liverpool are willing to splash £60m on the London-born talent but we’ll just have to wait and see whether that sort of money will be put towards strengthening other areas of the squad.

We’re pretty well stocked at the top end of the pitch at the moment but reinformcents in both full-back positions and in central defence are required.

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According to reports from Italy, Liverpool are prepared to spend big in order to beat Manchester City to a mutual transfer target.

The print edition of Gazzetta dello Sport claimed (via Paisley Gates) that the Reds are willing to push the boat out in order to ‘get ahead’ of their Premier League rivals in the chase for Michael Olise.

The report stated that Anfield chiefs are ready to part with a fee in the region of €60m-€70m (£52m-£60m) to sign the Crystal Palace attacker this month, with Football Insider recently citing Pep Guardiola’s side and Chelsea as fellow interested parties.

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Olise has been in excellent form for Palace of late, with four goals and an assists over his last four Premier League games (Transfermarkt), while he was lauded by Eagles teammate Eberechi Eze as an ‘incredible’ player (The Athletic).

His tremendous displays on the right flank at Selhurst Park have seemingly made him a candidate to provide a dependable alternative to Mo Salah in that position at Liverpool, and possibly to become the Egyptian’s long-term successor in the team.

However, whether the Reds would move for the 22-year-old this month is open to question, with journalist Jacque Talbot indicating on Monday that the Frenchman ‘would be a permanent move in the next transfer window’, when a release clause will be activated.

Summerville or Olise would not be a short-term loan signing for Liverpool, if that wasn't clear. Either would be a permanent move in the next transfer window. Olise will have a release clause then, Summerville won't/doesn't have one anymore.

— Jacque Talbot (@jac_talbot) January 8, 2024

Luis Diaz’s tremendous performance when switched to the right in Liverpool’s 2-0 win at Arsenal yesterday suggests that he could do a job in that role while the Reds’ number 11 is away at the Africa Cup of Nations, perhaps diluting some of the urgency around pursuing Olise.

The timing of any potential move for the Palace winger is a topic for debate, but what seems much clearer is that he’s a man in form and in demand, hence why Anfield chiefs are reportedly willing to splash the cash in order to beat Man City to the punch.

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Liverpool are understood to be keeping a close eye on Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise and Leeds United’s Crysencio Summerville.

The pair could potentially leave their respective sides in the summer window, with the likes of Manchester United said to be sniffing around the former.

“Looking ahead to the summer, Liverpool’s interest extends beyond Olise, we have learned they are also eyeing Leeds attacker Crysencio Summerville, though it’s not clear whether the side will purchase both,” Jacque Talbot wrote for Football Transfers. “The two players are set to part ways with his current club in the upcoming transfer window amid their spellbinding form this campaign.”

The Whites star has been in sensational form for Daniel Farke’s men this term, amassing a remarkable tally of 18 goal contributions in 24 games – a goal or assist every 106.38 minutes.

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Liverpool looking to the future

Both aged 22, it’s very much clear that we’re thinking about the future with such potential signings.

A release clause set at £60m for Olise would also allow us to engage in another relatively hassle-free transfer were we to opt for the Eagles man this summer.

What’s particularly intriguing about Summerville, however, is how well he profiles compared to another reported target in PSV’s Johan Bakayoko, according to FBref.

Unlike his compatriot, though, the Leeds man appears equally as competent as finding the back of the net (94th percentile for xG) as he is assisting goals (95th percentile for xAG).

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Liverpool have reportedly discovered how much it’ll cost them to sign one of their rumoured transfer targets.

According to Football Insider, the Reds are keeping a close eye on Michael Olise, who’s had a new release clause of more than £40m inserted into his contract at Crystal Palace, an increase on the previous clause of £35m.

LFC are reported to have dispatched scouts to watch the 22-year-old in action and evaluate whether to pursue him as a long-term successor to Mo Salah at Anfield.

Although it seems more likely that the Frenchman would move in the summer rather than this month, it’s understood that the Eagles face a ‘hard battle’ to keep him at Selhurst Park despite signing a new deal just five months ago.

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Olise has been in flying form of late for Palace, with four goals and an assist in their last four Premier League games (Transfermarkt), although a hamstring problem he incurred against Brentford a week ago will sideline him for the foreseeable future.

He’s been dubbed an ‘incredible‘ player by his Eagles teammate Eberechi Eze and hailed as ‘excellent‘ by his adoring manager Roy Hodgson, who you’ll recall had a brief and troubled tenure at Liverpool 13 seasons ago.

His five-goal tally for the season so far equals that of Luis Diaz, who’s played more than twice the number of minutes that the 22-year-old has had during an injury-hit campaign in south London (Transfermarkt).

Olise could therefore be a tremendous backup to Salah on the right flank at Liverpool, if they’re willing to stump up the £40m+ that his release clause entails, although the one concern among Anfield chiefs may be the Frenchman’s fitness troubles over the past 12 months.

Nonetheless, that kind of figure in today’s market for a player with such a fine goals-per-game ratio isn’t over the top by any means. Merseyside scouts could be compiling quite the dossier on the Palace winger during the second half of the season.

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Liverpool are ‘closely watching’ one Premier League attacker ahead of a potential move this summer.

Football Insider are reporting that Jurgen Klopp’s side are joined by the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea in showing strong interest in winger Michael Olise.

The Eagles will not allow the Frenchman to leave the club mid-term, ruling out a transfer this month, but Roy Hodgson’s side will demand a sizeable fee for their No. 7 in the summer.

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The report adds that the Premier League trio are keeping tabs on the 22-year-old through regular scouting trips.

Chelsea activated Olise’s £35m release clause last year before the former Reading man signed a new long-term contract at Selhurst Park running until 2027.

You could argue that the new deal was only signed to allow Palace to demand a more sizeable fee for the player – rather than to actually keep him in south London long into the future.

The France U21 international has registered five goals and one assist in nine league games this term.

It will be a difficult task to replace Mo Salah when his time at Anfield comes to an end but at 22 years of age and showing a lot of potential the Palace favourite could be the man.

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Replacing Mo Salah will be one of the most difficult challenges Liverpool will ever face. Impossible some might suggest.

Few, one might imagine, would have suggested turning to Roy Hodgson-managed Crystal Palace as a potential solution to this conundrum.

Football Insider now reports that talented 22-year-old Michael Olise has been heavily scouted by the Reds’ recruitment department as the club builds a list of potential long-term replacements.

The right-sided winger (who can also play as an attacking midfielder) has been reasonably prolific this term, registering five goals and an assist in nine league games.

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Well… if Manchester City want him…

Many a brow was raised after the Frenchman rejected an approach from Champions League winners Manchester City in the summer in favour of penning a long-term deal in the summer to remain in London.

One has to respect the prioritisation of minutes – as we imagine was the convincing factor for Olise when negotiating prior to the 2023/24 season – though also wonder at the player’s future plans.

We mean no disrespect at all to Crystal Palace, but we’d assume a player of his potential would have his sights set (eventually) on richer pastures.

Might the grass look greener at Anfield if the London-born wide man were presented an opportunity to be Salah’s long-term replacement?

Only time will tell.

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Jurgen Klopp’s comments, as relayed in a tweet by Neil Jones, about watching Manchester City’s goalless stalemate with Crystal Palace attracted some attention during his pre-match presser.

The 54-year-old had been discussing the fact that he had not watched the entirety of the game in question – ‘for exactly 65 minutes, for analysis reasons’.

Jurgen Klopp in for his pre-Arsenal press conference

"I watched [City] for exactly 65 minutes, for analysis reasons. I thought Crystal Palace did really well, and so did City. I saw the result and was surprised."#LFC

— Neil Jones (@neiljonesgoal) March 15, 2022

The German’s words didn’t go unnoticed by the Liverpool Echo, with the publication noting that formerly linked starlet, Michael Olise, had been brought off the field of play by Patrick Viera 65 minutes in.

Jurgen Klopp: "I watched the City game for exactly 65 minutes for analysis reasons, believe it or not."

*Checks what happened at 65 minutes*

pic.twitter.com/xAnTWiyK7b

— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) March 15, 2022

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Though it could be purely coincidental, it’s interesting that, if indeed for ‘analysis reasons’, the ex-Mainz boss was highly specific about the point at which he stopped observing the tie in question.

Interestingly, Jean-Philippe Mateta was also hooked after the same number of minutes, though we’d find it highly more likely that Olise was the focus if Klopp was considering potential transfer targets for the summer.

Able to play on the right wing, the 20-year-old could be considered as potential competition for Mo Salah, which would follow a recent trend of strengthening for the future following the acquisitions of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz.

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Liverpool are keeping track of Reading star Michael Olise, who has been compared to Aston Villa man Jack Grealish, with a view to a potential move in the summer, as reported by the Express.

A forward has been deemed the priority for Jurgen Klopp in the upcoming transfer window, with the Reds expected to pursue a relatively young signing who can grow with the club.

“The Reds, along with Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City, have been keeping tabs on the youngster with a keen interest,” Archie Griggs wrote. “RB Leipzig, Napoli and Monaco are also said to be watching the midfielder who has already drawn comparisons with the likes of Grealish for his dangerously potent style of play.”

“Olise is usually deployed in the No 10 role but is able to drift wide in order to free up space for his team-mates to attack, helping the Royals to average 1.3 goals per game,” the Express writer added.

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The 19-year-old, valued at €12m (according to Transfermarkt), has been one of the top performers in the Championship this term alongside Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott, though would perhaps be somewhat younger than the recruitment team have in mind.

That being said we certainly wouldn’t be against the club bringing in another talented youngster who could fit within the first-team plans in the near future.

With Divock Origi potentially set to part ways with Liverpool come the season end, we’ll need a proper forward to slot in and allow Klopp to rotate the front three.

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Liverpool could act on their interest in Reading youngster Michael Olise, with the Reds facing competition from across the Premier League.

The attacking midfielder, who has hit four goals and seven assists in 20 Championship outings, has a release clause of £8m, which could be exercised in the upcoming January transfer window.

With the Reds hoping to bring in the best young talent, moves such as this – if the No.7 is deemed a good fit for the club – will be a particularly good idea given the Brexit-enforced ban on U18 signings from abroad.

Many clubs will likewise be forced to search for the gems already in the country, which one might hope will be for the good of domestic talent generation.

At 19 years of age, Olise has been one of the top performers in England’s second-highest division, however, an added attacking midfielder is probably not a priority for Liverpool at this current moment in time.

We would point to the club’s current centre-back crisis, with Fabinho forced to move into the backline to shore up the defence alongside Joel Matip.

Indeed, much transfer speculation appears to concur on that front, with the Reds linked to a host of centre-halves – we imagine that Jurgen Klopp and Michael Edwards will have at least a man or two in mind.

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