This Is Anfield understands Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise is a player of interest to Liverpool, but his release clause could prove to be off-putting.
It has long been suggested that Olise would be a target for Liverpool as they explore further options to bolster their attack.
The 22-year-old is a player on the club’s radar, This Is Anfield has learned, but interest in both him and Leeds winger Crysencio Summerville is far from advanced.
Liverpool will continue to track their progress from afar, with any decision over a summer signing out wide likely to be dictated by Mohamed Salah‘s stance on a new contract.
Either way, while the presence of a release clause in Olise’s contract at Palace may make any deal a straightforward one, its value could complicate things.
• READ: Crysencio Summerville, Michael Olise & Liverpool’s complex transfer plans explained
Per various sources including the Mirror, the London-born France youth international can be bought out of his deal at Selhurst Park for a fee of around £60 million.
This comes after Olise agreed new terms with Palace after rejecting a move to Chelsea in August, with his previous terms allowing him to leave for £35 million.
Liverpool used release clauses to their advantage in their midfield rebuild, with both Dominik Szoboszlai (£60m) and Alexis Mac Allister (£35m) brought in without the need for negotiations.
But it can certainly be argued that those players were available at better value and with more proven ability than Palace’s No. 7.
As explained by This Is Anfield‘s David Lynch, Olise’s record of nine goals and 17 assists in 72 games in the Premier League is “not the level of production that usually tempts Liverpool in.”
A £60 million outlay would make him the club’s second-most expensive attacking signing ever, behind only Darwin Nunez (£85m), and their fifth-costliest player in history.
While it can be argued that, having only turned 22 last month, Olise has the upside to develop into a world-class option for Liverpool, he is clearly not there yet.
That would be why the club’s interest is only at the stage of monitoring, rather than actively pursuing, as is the case with many players of his ilk.
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