The January transfer window has only just opened, but Manchester United's new owners are already looking forward to the summer.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team are shortlisting transfer targets after completing their £1.3 billion buy-in at Old Trafford.
A report in the Evening Standard named Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise as someone the new United hierarchy is interested in.
Although the 22-year-old only signed a new four-year contract at Selhurst Park in August, it is believed this includes a release clause that comes into effect this summer.
The exact amount is not known, but it would likely be a significant amount as Palace look to protect the value of one of their star players.
Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise has emerged as a transfer target for Manchester United
Erik ten Hag's (left) ailing side appear to need further reinforcement in the summer and Sir Jim Ratcliffe (right) could give Olise the green light
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It's not hard to see why Olise, a right winger, is an attractive proposition.
After missing the opening weeks of the season with a hamstring injury, he has scored five goals and one assist in nine games since his return.
Olise will be crucial in Palace's attempts to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle from their current position of 14th in the Premier League.
One of the many problems United have faced this season has been a lack of end product from their wide forwards and a lack of service for £72m striker Rasmus Hojlund.
Their Brazilian winger Antony, an £85million signing that manager Erik ten Hag demanded in 2022, has not provided a single goal or assist in 21 games this season.
If United sign Olise, Antony's status as a first-choice right winger would be seriously threatened.
A comparison of their performances in Premier League matches this season, courtesy of FBrefconfirms that Olise offers much more than Antony.
The Palace winger's xG (expected goals) is 3.0 and his expected xAG (expected goals assisted) is 2.7, compared to Antony's 1.4 and 2.1 respectively.
Olise trumps Antony in terms of average shots per 90 minutes (3.46 to 2.39) and shots on target per 90 (1.06 to 0.50).
He also creates more chances with 5.85 shot creating actions per 90 minutes compared to Antony's 3.48. Olise's average number of passes completed per game is 36.8 instead of 30.7.
Right winger Olise is adept at taking on opponents and has a very good end product
If United were to sign Olise, he would be direct competition for failed Brazilian winger Antony
| Stands | Olise | Anthony | Rasford | Garnacho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performances | 9 | 16 | 19 | 18 |
| Goals scored | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Assists | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Expected goals | 3.0 | 1.4 | 5.0 | 3.8 |
| Expected assists | 2.7 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
| Shots per 90min | 3.46 | 2.39 | 2.79 | 3.63 |
| Shots on target per 90 minutes | 1.06 | 0.50 | 0.75 | 0.76 |
| Shot creating actions per 90 | 5.85 | 3.48 | 3.40 | 3.63 |
| Average number of steps completed | 36.8 | 30.7 | 21.8 | 24.7 |
| Acquisition success rate % | 60.0 | 32.6 | 42.6 | 36.1 |
| Source: FBref |
One criticism often leveled at Antony is that he doesn't perform well enough when going up against defenders, and the stats bear this out. He is successful in 32.6 percent of takeovers, compared to 60 percent for Olise.
So within the small sample size of Olise's nine games this season, he is outperforming Antony in almost every area important to their role.
Antony will need to produce much more in the second half of the season to convince United's hierarchy that they do not need a replacement on the right wing.
Coincidentally, Olise is doing slightly better in several areas of his game than Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, United's other two commonly used wide forwards.
Both Rashford and Garnacho, who usually line up on the left flank, have three goals and two assists to their name in the Premier League this season.
Alejandro Garnacho was one of United's better performing wingers without sparkling
Marcus Rashford's form during the current season has been a shadow of last season's brilliance
Rashford (5.0) and Garnacho (3.8) beat Olise (3.0) for xG, but the Palace winger trumps them when it comes to expected assisted goals (2.7 compared to 1.9 for Rashford and 1 .8 for Garnacho).
Olise's average shots on target per game are higher than Rashford's and only a shade lower than Garnacho's, but he beats them both for scoring on target.
His success rate of 60 percent is also clearly better than Rashford's 42.6 and Garnacho's 36.1, and actually more attempts on average per game.
But Olise has not played on the left since his Reading days, meaning he is not in direct competition with Rashford or Garnacho.
Olise has been in blistering form since returning from a hamstring injury earlier in the season
However, based on the statistics, he would slot into United's side on the right, ahead of Antony, plus Facundo Pellistri and Amad Diallo, who are rarely used.
In fairness to Antony, his numbers are better than Olise's last season – the Brazilian produced more goals and assists, with his xG a healthy 6.9.
The problem is that his form has fallen off a cliff in his second season at United, while his struggles are representative of the squad as a whole.
As INEOS assesses United's playing side, there is no doubt that Antony is a weak link at the moment and Olise could be a good replacement if the price is right.