Chelsea have contacted Crystal Palace over opening talks with Michael Olise for a £60million summer transfer.
The Blues tracked the France Under-21 star throughout last summer, but the 22-year-old ended up signing a new deal and staying at Palace.
Chelsea have now picked up their interest and installed Olise among their top targets for the upcoming transfer window.
Newcastle and Bayern Munich are also thought to hold strong interest in Olise, with both Manchester United and Man City also tracking the former Chelsea academy talent.
Chelsea are thought to be prepared to meet Olise’s release clause, which is understood to have a complex structure and could rise above £60m.
Olise struck 10 goals and laid on six assists in just 14 Premier League starts for Palace in the 2023-24 season, thriving in Oliver Glasner’s rejuvenated Eagles team.
The former Reading star ideally wants Champions League football should he leave Palace in this transfer window.
Chelsea will not be deterred by that however, with Blues chiefs confident about their refreshed set-up under new head coach Enzo Maresca.
The Blues believe the former Leicester boss has all the credentials to drive the Stamford Bridge club to a top-four Premier League finish in his first season at the helm.
An early move to make contact with Palace over Olise underscores Chelsea’s confidence, with the transfer window officially opening on Friday.
Palace will not want to sell Olise, but are also thought to be realistic about the mounting demand for one of the most promising young attacking talents in the Premier League.
Chelsea have already made Tosin Adarabioyo the first signing of the Maresca era, the powerful centre-back having arrived on a free transfer from Fulham.
