admin Manchester City look set to need a right-sided attacker and some fans think a Premier League player could be the answer.
There’s no denying that Europe’s best side have had a quiet summer so far. The treble winner has only signed Mateo Kovacic despite being omnipresent in transfer rumours, and several key players are leaving the Etihad but remain linked with other players.
One of these players is Michael Olise. The French star took the Premier League by storm last year thanks to his performances for Crystal Palace. The attacking midfielder made 31 league appearances for the London club last season, providing 11 assists and scoring 2 goals.
The number of goals may seem disappointing but bear in mind he is playing for a side that have only scored 40 goals in 38 games.
Overall, Olise was directly involved in a third of his team’s goals and scored more goals than Wilfried Zaha. He also created 72 chances for Palace last season, far more than any other team-mate.
Now imagine this post playing alongside Kevin de Bruyne and Erling Haaland. Hat tricks improve instantly with Olise on the team and a right footed takedown. Replacing Riyad Mahrez is not an easy task.
The Algerian international has become one of the mainstays of Pep Guardiola’s starting XI. Last season, he played 30 games for the team, recording 10 assists and five goals.
He also scored three goals and two assists in the UEFA Champions League and scored five goals en route to FA Cup triumph. Many expected that after winning the treble, City would pull out their checkbook and take on the big names.
The plan ahead of the summer transfer window called for the acquisition of a midfielder (Kovacic) and a central defender (City admirer Josko Gvardiola). And with Bernardo Silva’s future uncertain, Mahrez could be replaced by Olise.
According to The Athletic, Olise is one of the names that City are looking at. However, if Silva was to stay put, then Guardiola could easily deploy Silva on the right flank and not necessarily go after Olise. Phil Foden is another name that could be considered to be played on the right flank should City not manage to bring in the 21-year-old. Should push come to shove, Rico Lewis and Cole Palmer could also be used on the right flank.
The report also suggested that City aren’t willing to pay more than £50million and Palace are hell-bent on wanting a lot more than that, especially after losing Zaha earlier in the summer. Chelsea also remains interested in the player.
Another spanner that has been thrown into the works is that Olise picked up a hamstring injury during the latest European Under-21 Championship. This means that he will, in all likelihood, miss the opening part of the new season.
Olise has been turning heads even before he secured a move to Crystal Palace. During his time with Reading, the attacking midfielder was attracting interest from big name clubs. And with Mahrez no longer at City, this summer might be the time when Olise gets a move to the best team in the world.
