Arsenal working on move for £40m Premier League forward

The Gunners are looking to add to their attack this summer

April 12, 2023 at 5:18 pm GMT+1

Arsenal are reportedly targetting a move for Crystal Palace forward Michael Olise as they look to bolster their frontline this summer, with any move for the Frenchman set to cost around £40m.

The Gunners have been looking to add to their attacking ranks in both of the last two transfer windows, missing out on moves for Raphinha (who subsequently moved to Barcelona) and Mkyhaylo Mudryk (who joined Chelsea), though they did sign Leandro Trossard in the winter transfer window.

London, UK. 19th Mar, 2023. 19 Mar 2023 - Arsenal v Crystal Palace - Premier League - Emirates Stadium Arsenal's Leandro Trossard during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London. Picture Credit: Mark Pain/Alamy Live News 2PG3JBA London, UK. 19th Mar, 2023. 19 Mar 2023 - Arsenal v Crystal Palace - Premier League - Emirates Stadium Arsenal's Leandro Trossard during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London. Picture Credit: Mark Pain/Alamy Live News (Alamy Stock Photo)

Despite flying high in the Premier League and currently six points ahead of second placed Manchester City, they are expected to continue trying to bolster their frontline over the summer, and finding a right-winger that can rotate with Bukayo Saka is set to be a key priority.

To date, the Englishman has started 29 of Arsenal’s 30 Premier League games, and was a second-half substitute in the other outing. With the Gunners set to return to Champions League action barring an indescribable collapse, he will need help.

Step forward, Michael Olise. The Crystal Palace man has been a regular for the Eagles this season, and has chipped in with two goals and eight assists in 29 outings. Left-footed on the right flank, the Frenchman bears many similarities to Saka in terms of play style, though he is far less of a finished product than Arsenal’s Hale End graduate.

That is not putting Mikel Arteta off, however, with Football Transfers reporting that the Spaniard ‘is a big fan of the player’, and that ‘believes that Olise ticks all the boxes he desires in terms of age, likely cost and resale potential’.

As for cost, it is reported that he would only set them back around £40m, with three years left to run on his current deal. It was thought that he had a £35m release clause inserted into his initial Crystal Palace contract, but that was removed with a new deal signed at the beginning of the season.