Manchester United are continuing to make preparations for the transfer window and one player is causing a dilemma.
Last summer Manchester United threw logic out of the window to focus on making Mason Mount the first signing of the summer.
United moved for Mount amid competition from Arsenal and Liverpool, believing the club had pulled off a coup.
The problem was Mount should not have been a priority, and left funds stretched at other positions, with United’s squad left unbalanced across the course of an injury-hit season.
Manchester United want Michael Olise
We bring up the Mount deal, because Manchester United might be facing a similar dilemma heading into this transfer window.
United need to sign players at the following key positions; centre-back, centre-midfield, left-back, striker.
Everything else becomes a luxury during a summer where funds are going to be more limited, without Champions League footall.
One position causing a dilemma is right wing, where Manchester United believe there is a target who could be worth shelling out for, Michael Olise, who scored twice for Palace in the recent win over the Red Devils.
SportsLens report the situation, that United are worried that losing out on Olise could be a costly miss in the long-term.
The report states: “United have been tracking Olise for most of this season and it was decided back in January that they must be in the conversation to sign him at the end of this term.
“Signing a right sided forward is not the priority at Old Trafford but in the case of Olise there is a fear of missing out on one of the best players in that position for the coming years.”
Why Olise situation could be different to Mount
There are some parallels in terms of potential use of funds on Olise and Mount, there are also key differences.
Mount was coming off a poor injury-hit season at Chelsea, while Olise is in the best form of his career at Palace, and is full of confidence.
Would United fans swap Mount to sign Olise? Probably. Would Crystal Palace? Probably not.
We would still suspect a deal for Olise would be too difficult to do. United would have to raise funds by selling Mason Greenwood, Jadon Sancho and probably Antony too.
With all the competition for his signature, if Olise is still on the market by time those sales would be completed, we’d be surprised.