The departure of Michael Olise from Crystal Palace has left fans disappointed and concerned about the future of the club. Olise, who had been thriving alongside Eberechi Eze in Palace’s front three, has agreed to terms with Bayern Munich. This is not the first time Palace has lost one of their best players, as they have seen the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Yannick Bolasie, and Andrew Johnson leave in the past.
However, Olise’s departure hurts even more because he is considered one of the most talented players to have ever played for the club. If he reaches his full potential, he could become the best player in Palace’s history. This loss follows a pattern for Palace, where they build optimism and hope for the future only to see their star players leave.
Chairman Steve Parish and sporting director Dougie Freedman have always followed a model of buying young talent, developing them, and eventually selling them for a profit. While this approach makes financial sense, it leaves fans feeling disappointed and robbed of watching their most talented players. It also poses a challenge for Palace to replace Olise’s impact on the team.
Olise’s departure will leave a void in the squad, as his 10 goals and six assists last season do not fully represent his true impact on the team’s performance. When Olise played, Palace looked like a side capable of European qualification, but when he didn’t, they struggled. Finding a suitable replacement for him will not be easy.
However, Palace has already started their summer business positively by signing Daichi Kamada on a free transfer from Lazio. Kamada’s familiarity with manager Oliver Glasner will help him settle into the team, but it will still take time to integrate fully. The departure of Olise may also affect the decisions of other players like Eze and Guehi to stay at the club.
On a positive note, selling Olise provides Palace with more money to spend in the transfer market. It also serves as proof that young players can come to Selhurst Park, succeed, and then move on to bigger clubs. This could potentially attract new players to the club, knowing that Palace offers a platform for growth and development.
While losing Olise is undoubtedly a blow to Palace’s ambitions, it does not have to be the end of their aspirations. Manager Oliver Glasner has shown that he values teamwork over individual brilliance, and the team can adapt and continue to progress without Olise. Palace will need to find a way to cope with his departure and continue building towards their goal of European qualification in the future.