Michael Olise is reportedly of interest to Manchester United this summer (Image: Getty)
Michael Olise has been announced in France’s provisional squad for the 2024 Olympic Games with manager Thierry Henry naming a strong set of players. Olise’s inclusion could be bad news for whichever club he begins the Premier League season at, with Manchester United known to be interested in a move.
The winger shone for Crystal Palace last season despite an injury-hit campaign, providing 16 goal contributions in 19 Premier League appearances. He and Palace team-mate Jean-Philippe Mateta have been included in France’s provisional list of players for the home Olympics, and are expected to be named in the full squad.
United are widely reported to be interested in a potential £60million move for Olise. However, he will miss the majority of pre-season and could even find himself in a race to be fully prepared for the start of the Premier League campaign.
The Olympic football event - effectively an U23 tournament - runs from July 24 to August 10. France will be the favourites to win the competition, with the final taking place six days before the Premier League season is scheduled to start.
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France face the USA, Guinea and New Zealand in their group.
Olise has been linked with an exit from Palace this summer. But interested parties including Man United might now be wary that the 22-year-old will miss much of pre-season and might not be ready for the new Premier League season. Managers will want their big-money signings to have a full pre-season and be ready for the top-flight campaign.
Express Sport understands that although Olise has a release clause included in his contract, it is particularly complex to trigger. Chelsea believed they had concluded a deal last summer but the former Reading star signed a new contract at Selhurst Park.
Palace head coach Oliver Glasner is hopeful of keeping his best players, including Olise, Mateta and Tottenham-linked Eberechi Eze, at the club next season. They are closing in on a deal to sign Japan international Daichi Kamada and Real Betis defender Chadi Riad, while harbouring a strong interest in Sunderland teenager Jobe Bellingham.
Thierry Henry has named Man Utd target Michael Olise in his France squad for the Olympics (Image: Getty)
Unlikely senior international tournaments, clubs are under no obligation to release their players for the Olympics. However, it seems unlikely that Olise will be withdrawn after missing out on Les Bleus’ Euro 2024 squad.
It will be the fourth year in a row that Olise has missed at least part of a pre-season campaign. A hamstring injury he suffered at last year’s U21 European Championship kept him out of action until November.
He subsequently missed several parts of the 2023-24 campaign after the hamstring problem recurred. Olise will hope for a less disrupted 2024-25 season, wherever he is playing his football.
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