Chelsea transfer news: The Blues have been handed a chance to complete a bargain deal for Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise but there's obvious regret having let him go at 14
Chelsea aren't making progress toward signing a new midfielder to the annoyance of Mauricio Pochettino, but they are actively considering even more attacking talent.
It means that so far there is general frustration at the incomings despite such grand work clearing out the group. "At the moment, we are working to reinforce that area [midfield], and other areas also," Pochettino said before the 1-1 draw with Newcastle.
"We are working very hard to try to add more players in different areas and hope that is possible soon." He added: "We need at least one more and we are working on that. It depends on what happens in the next few weeks. We will decide and take our decision.
"We are working, the club is working on that. We need to add some player there. We need one more with experience."
It is Olise, with two years at Crystal Palace, who offers top flight experience in England. He has played 63 times across the two seasons with 16 assists despite a modest total of four goals in the same time. At 21, he is far from the finished article but does possess a lot of desireable qualities including effective off-ball work.
Olise was part of the esteemed Cobham academy up until the age of 14, where he was let go, but went on to impress in the Championship just four years later for Reading. Aged 16 he made his senior debut and the year after managed 13 starts and 19 matches played.
CIES football observatory values him currently at £25.7million ($33m) which is close to that of Palace's release clause and what Chelsea would be expecting to pay. If a bid is made, the Blues may well go over the odds in order to secure favourable payment terms but at Olise's age it still poses to be a productive business prospect.
When he signed for the Eagles in 2021 he was valued at £12million ($15m) but was signed for less than £10million ($12m). It demonstrates how quickly players can develop but also hands Chelsea yet another lesson in the market.
Although there is no way to tell how he would have progressed as a player had he remained in the academy, and past example show that in fact a move away is almost certainly the best way to move his career on, it isn't the first time that they are interested in buying back former players.
It is far too simplistic to suggest that Chelsea have simply missed out with Olise but having already seen with Rice what can happen, the lesson needs to be learnt, and learnt fast, if they want to avoid similar mistakes and embarrassment in the future.
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