Arsenal and Man Utd boost in race for £60m 'special talent'

Arsenal and Manchester United have been handed a boost in their reported pursuit of talented Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise this summer with news breaking from Liverpool on Monday morning.

The Evening Standard had reported that the Gunners, Red Devils and Reds were all courting Olise ahead of the summer transfer window with the rising star believed to be available for £60 million, which could be a bargain if the 22-year-old goes on to reach the heights he appears capable of - he has been hailed a ‘special talent’ by Patrick Vieira and a ‘wonderful’ by Roy Hodgson.

However, The Athletic today breaks the news that Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is set to stay at Anfield for at least another season in a somewhat surprising turn of events. The Premier League legend was the subject of huge bids from Saudi Arabia last summer and had been tipped to leave come the end of the campaign alongside Jurgen Klopp.

A touchline spat with the German manager on Saturday when playing West Ham appeared to add fuel to the fire surrounding Salah's desire to quit Merseyside but now the outlet reports that he will stay for at least another campaign, with his contract due to expire next summer.

Saudi Arabian clubs are said to be aware of the decision and its impact on any summer deals with Liverpool reportedly ready to offer the player a new contract to keep him at Anfield past 2025 in due course.

Salah plays in the right wing position for Liverpool, which is the same side as Olise is usually deployed on for the Eagles. While the Frenchman had been touted as a potential replacement for Salah, if the Egyptian is to stay at Anfield then the chances of Liverpool splurging £60 million on a back-up option appear much less probable.

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That is a boost to other clubs sniffing around a deal for Olise - including Arsenal and Manchester United. Speaking about the player's future last week, alongside that of Eberechi Eze, Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner said: "We will see, but I think yes, of course. [They have] a contract here, first of all, and the second is they feel well, otherwise they wouldn't perform like they did, but it's not the right moment now.

"I've been in football for a very long time, and I think no team in the world can say on April 26 how the squad will be the next season. We don't know, but we think that they will play for Crystal Palace next season.

"The focus is on winning the games and getting the points and staying in the league, first of all, and creating a unit, a togetherness, a way of how we want to play, a way of how we want to deal. This is what we were focused on, and so I didn't talk to them, what they plan for next year."