21-year-old Premier League star agrees personal terms with Chelsea, prefers Blues over Manchester City – Reports

Crystal Palace star Michael Olise is allegedly keen to join Chelsea despite interest from Manchester City in the ongoing summer transfer window.

Olise, 21, has emerged as a top transfer target for both the Premier League giants in the recent past. He was even subject to a failed £26 million offer from the Blues last month, according to RMC Sport.

However, the Frenchman is believed to have inched closer to joining Chelsea this summer. He has agreed personal terms over a potential return to the west London outfit, effectively indicating that he is likely to snub Manchester City in the process, as per Sports Zone.

Olise, who has a contract at Selhurst Park until June 2026, is said to be interested in securing a permanent transfer to Stamford Bridge due to his past. He spent six years in the books of the Blues' academy before moving to Reading's youth ranks in the summer of 2016.

Should Olise join Mauricio Pochettino's team soon, he could prove to be a brilliant signing for them. He would provide solid competition to Raheem Sterling and Noni Madueke on the right flank, and also serve as a backup to Christopher Nkunku in a number 10 position.

Meanwhile, Manchester City are said to be keen to lure Olise away from Palace as an apt replacement for Riyad Mahrez, who joined Al-Ahli on a £30 million deal last month. They are also keeping tabs on Lyon's Bradley Barcola and Rennes' Jeremy Doku as other options.

So far, Olise has scored six goals and provided 19 assists in 71 matches across all competitions for Crystal Palace in the past two seasons.

Michael Owen claims Chelsea will have 'the best midfield pairing in the Premier League'

Speaking recently in a Twitter Space, ex-Liverpool star Michael Owen claimed that Chelsea will have the best midfield duo in England should Moises Caicedo join them soon. He said:

"Decent game this. Both teams had their moments. Enzo Fernandez is putting on an exhibition. If Caicedo joins him at Chelsea, that'll be the best midfield pairing in the Premier League."

According to The Athletic, Chelsea have agreed a British record fee of £115 million with Brighton & Hove Albion to sign Caicedo this summer. They are set to hand the midfielder a lucrative contract until June 2031.

Caicedo, 21, has been a hot topic of transfer speculation for over six months owing to his rapid rise in stature of late. He has been subject to offers from Liverpool and Arsenal in the past, but is likely to join the Blues to team up with Enzo Fernandez in the near future.