By Wilf MacDonnell
Crystal Palace have been dealt a blow ahead of the 2023-24 season, with the news that Michael Olise has sustained an injury on international duty with France under-21s.
Olise suffered a grade 3 hamstring tear while playing against Norway at the under-21 European Championships. It’s unclear how long the injury will keep the winger out of action, but he will certainly be expected to miss the Eagles’ first few games of the season.
The 21-year-old will now focus on his recovery, having been ruled out for the rest of the tournament.
Having signed from Reading in 2021, Olise quickly became a key figure at Selhurst Park. Last season, he played a huge role under both Patrick Vieira and Roy Hodgson, recording eleven assists which put him fourth in the overall Premier League rankings for that statistic.
Palace will now likely look into the market to add some attacking depth before they travel to play Sheffield United on August 12.
Olise’s injury, combined with the fact that Wilfried Zaha’s future at the club remains in the balance, means that Jordan Ayew is now the only fit winger with first-team appearances under contract at Palace.
