Speculation had just started to gather real steam connecting Michael Olise with a move up the Premier League, only for the Crystal Palace winger to suffer a recurrence of a hamstring injury that casts doubt on his ability to make a transfer move this month.
Palace fended off summer interest from Chelsea by signing Olise up to a new contract that significantly increased the amount on his minimum release fee clause.
The Blues had reportedly activated the figure on his previous deal by lodging a £35m offer, but Olise opted to remain at Selhurst Park instead.
Liverpool and particularly Manchester United had both emerged as potential alternative destinations since then.
But The Athletic now report that the hamstring injury Olise picked up against Brentford is looking worse than had initially been thought.
Roy Hodgson had been hopeful about Olise's prospects immediately after the game, but the 22-year-old sat out his side’s FA Cup victory over Everton on Thursday evening and has now reportedly been ruled out for the rest of January.
Olise missed the start of the current season after picking up a hamstring injury playing for France's Under-21s in the summer, but has been in red-hot form since making his return in November, registering five goals and an assist in just nine appearances – including the penalty that earned Palace a brilliant injury-time point away to Manchester City.
United are keen to add to their attacking options, especially with Jadon Sancho looking set to return to Borussia Dortmund, while Liverpool have lost Mo Salah to Africa Cup of Nations duty for the next few weeks, prompting talk that both were keen to pursue a move to escure Olise's services.
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