With Michael Olise seemingly on his way to Bayern Munich this summer, Crystal Palace have reportedly wasted no time in making their first move to potentially sign an instant replacement.
Crystal Palace transfer news
The Eagles will be hoping to pick up where they left off under Oliver Glasner last season come August and have already started their summer business in pursuit of doing just that, welcoming Real Betis defender Chadi Riad and former Lazio attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada. Both players should hand Glasner quite the boost this summer.
Kamada expressed his delight at joining up with former Eintracht Frankfurt manager Glasner, telling the official Palace website: “I’m excited to be joining Crystal Palace, and to be working with Oliver – who is a coach I know well – again. I am looking forward to testing myself in the Premier League, and hopefully the club and I can achieve all of our objectives together.”
As Olise prepares to complete his move to Bayern Munich as per Fabrizio Romano, however, Kamada is unlikely to be the last name through the door at Selhurst Park.
According to TeamTalk, Crystal Palace have submitted an opening bid to sign Jaden Philogene from Hull City ahead of competition from Everton and Ipswich Town. It remains to be seen just how much they tabled, but previous reports suggested that the Championship side value their star man at as much as £20m this summer.
It’s certainly a step in the right direction for those at Selhurst Park, who could instantly welcome a replacement for Olise. If last season is anything to go by, Philogene is certainly a player capable of completing the near-impossible task of stepping into Olise’s role in South London next season.
“Unbelievable” Philogene can fill Olise void
Selling a star player for profit in the form of Olise before dipping back into the Championship to find the heir to that same star’s role is certainly a sustainable model and one that Palace should be praised for. It’s part of the reason why they have become a mainstay in the Premier League and the reason why they’re now well positioned to cause a few shocks under Glasner and potentially with Philogene arriving.
| League stats 23/24 (via FBref) | Jaden Philogene | Michael Olise |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 12 | 10 |
| Assists | 6 | 6 |
| Key Passes Per 90 | 1.67 | 2.54 |
| Take-ons Completed Per 90 | 2.79 | 2.82 |
Philogene’s output and successful take-ons stand out as traits that Crystal Palace will need the most in the absence of Olise. Having a player with such a direct threat to call on can quickly make the difference up against the Premier League’s top six, as Palace found out last season when defeating the likes of Manchester United.
Now potentially handed the chance to step back into the Premier League for the first time since leaving Aston Villa on a permanent basis, Philogene will come back with plenty of praise under his belt. The winger attracted plenty of fans during his time at Hull, including former manager Liam Rosenior, who described his goal against Preston North End last October as “unbelievable”.
