The ideal £40m Michael Olise replacement is staring Crystal Palace in the face amid Liverpool interest

Michael Olise. Popular guy. Like wasps in a beer garden, the likelihood is that you won’t be able to move this summer without having your personal space invaded by some transfer rumour involving the Crystal Palace winger or other.

After another sparkling season at Selhurst Park, the Frenchman has found himself at the centre of several clubs’ simmering affections, with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Liverpool all touted as prospective suitors in recent weeks. Some of those heavy hitters hit heavier than others.

Obviously, this creates something of an issue for Palace. Since Oliver Glasner took over, and especially since the Austrian has seen his cerebral schemes begin to bear fruit, the Eagles have become one of the most fearsome sides in the Premier League. That may sound like hyperbole, but it’s really not; at the time of writing, Glasner’s side are on an unbeaten run of six matches, and have scalped the likes of Liverpool, West Ham, and the two other Uniteds, Manchester and Newcastle, during that streak.

Instrumental to so much of Palace’s admirable recent work has been Olise. The 22-year-old has registered 10 goals and five assists in 18 top flight outings this term, and has generally glided around the place with a general aura of irrepressible magic to boot. With every passing week he looks more and more like a top six player in waiting, and while Palace’s project may be amongst the most exciting in the division, it feels increasingly likely that they may have their talisman prised away from them between now and the end of the summer.

Finding the right replacement will, therefore, be vital. Talents of Olise’s ilk are not readily abundant, and those that do show comparable levels of promise tend to be snapped up by exactly the kind of clubs who are circling with intent for the Palace star.

That being said, assuming Olise does leave in the coming weeks, the Eagles may find themselves in the relatively unfamiliar position of boasting a transfer kitty capable of rubbing shoulders with the Premier League’s most illustrious names.

Which brings us to Crysencio Summerville, a player who, like Olise, has been speculatively mentioned in relation to a number of top flight powerhouses. The Leeds United winger has been in sublime form in the Championship this season, scoring 19 and assisting eight in 44 outings, and the common consensus seems to be that he will be a Premier League footballer one way or another next term. (Leeds drew their play-off semi-final first leg with Norwich City 0-0 on Sunday afternoon, with the return fixture set to take place on Thursday evening.)

The hope around Elland Road, of course, will be that Daniel Farke’s side can provide him with that opportunity, but if Leeds do fall foul of the play-off lottery, then a melee for Summerville is likely to ensue. Palace, for their part, should absolutely ensure that they are in amongst it.

Few players would make for such an ideal or seamless Olise replacement as the Dutchman. Not only has he shown a similar knack for goal contributions during Leeds’ promotion push, but his natural flair and uninhibited creativity undeniably parallel those of the Palace winger. Summerville is the kind of player who can produce something from nothing, and in Glasner’s swooping, aesthetically pleasing tactical vision, that sprinkling of wizardry would both flourish and thrive.

Evidently, cost would be an issue. Leeds, provided they are forced into a sale, would demand a hefty fee for an attacker who has a contract that runs until 2026. Some reports suggest the asking price could be as high as £40 million. But given that Palace are only likely to be in the hunt for his signature if they themselves have cashed in on Olise, they should presumably have enough in the coffers to at least make a tempting bid. There are a lot of moving parts to consider, but if Olise does go, Summerville has to be the man to succeed him.