Cole Palmer has spared Chelsea’s blushes after the club missed out on Michael Olise. Last year, the Bayern Munich winger was heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, but a deal collapsed after he decided to sign a new long-term contract at Selhurst Park instead.
football.london understands that the Blues wanted to sign somebody who could play as both a right winger and an attacking midfielder, so Olise was identified as a target. Chelsea were once confident of securing the 22-year-old’s signature, verbally agreeing personal terms before proceeding to pay his £35m release clause.
Despite the west Londoners’ best efforts, a transfer failed to materialise and the co-sporting directors were left scrambling for alternatives in the final days of the summer transfer window. In the end, Chelsea signed Cole Palmer from Manchester City in a deal worth just £40m.
The Englishman hit the ground running, and he quickly established himself as a key player for the Blues. Since leaving the Etihad, Palmer has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or, rubbing shoulders with some of the best players in the world.
Meanwhile, Olise has grown into a winger just ‘like Robben’. In an interview with Sky Germany, Lothar Matthaus heaped praise on the Frenchman for his brilliant start to life in the Bundesliga.
Olise, who sees his contract at the Allianz Arena expire in June 2029, has featured five times for Bayern Munich in the German top-flight, scoring three goals and providing two assists. Playing a key role in Vincent Kompany’s side, he’s helped the Bavarians climb to the top of the table.
“I like Franck Ribery very much,” said Max Eberl, the club’s sporting director. “When I think of the French players at FC Bayern, I think of him above all. Michael is a player who, like a young Ribery or a young [Arjen] Robben, can achieve extraordinary things.”
Matthaus added: “He picks out his teammates even better than Arjen Robben. He has speed, wit, he recognises the situation. Yes, a bit like Arjen Robben.”
Speaking on TalkSPORT during the summer, Tony Cascarino also compared Olise to Robben. The former Chelsea striker said: “He has got that skill when he wants to get on his left foot, and he is versatile, he can play in a number of positions, I feel, but when he wants to get on his left foot, even though you know he is trying to do it, he can still do something special.
“He has got that Arjen Robben sort of scenario, the one where we think he is going on his left foot, he is going on his left foot, and he is still on his left foot and he sticks it into the top corner.
“Olise can do that. Obviously, there is a big comparison there. Not as quick as someone like Robben, but great touch. He could play that number 10 role.”
