"Smart piece of business by Parish" - Journalist raves over £50m Crystal Palace negotiations

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish is conducting ‘smart business’ by attempting to tie Michael Olise down to a new Selhurst Park deal, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Olise became manager Patrick Vieira’s first signing when he joined the Eagles in an £8million switch from Reading last summer, but Parish has already been locked in fresh contract talks with the winger.

Olise’s current contract still has more than four years remaining, but that has not stopped Palace heading to the negotiating table.

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the south Londoners are worried that potential suitors will be willing to exercise the 20-year-old’s £35million release clause and, as a result, are hoping to agree fresh terms ahead of the transfer window opening for business.

The report suggests the one-cap France under-21 international is keen to remain at Selhurst Park and an agreement is close to being reached, with the proposal being to increase the buyout clause to upwards of £50million and the deal to be extended by a further 12 months.

Olise, who was crowned the EA Sports Young Player of the Season and was also named as part of the Championship Team of the Season prior to his move to Palace, is not short of admirers.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Lille and Bayern Munich are among those to have been keeping tabs on his situation.

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O’Rourke believes Parish would be completing a shrewd piece of behind the scenes work if he persuades Olise to put pen-to-paper.

The journalist feels concluding negotiations would stand the Eagles in good stead heading into the summer transfer window, when clubs may look to test their resolve.

O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT: