After a season with more downs than ups, Crystal Palace finally have something to get excited about.
The appointment of Austrian manager Oliver Glasner last month has rejuvenated a fanbase that was being put through the wringer with dull football and regular drubbings.
While it might take some time for the 49-year-old to turn things around at Selhurst Park, a draw away to Everton and a 3-0 win over Burnley in his first three games in charge is promising.
That said, while Roy Hodgson's tenure at the club didn't end on the best of terms, his decision to sign a player in 2020 has proven to be a brilliant one, and now that player is worth more than Michael Olise.
Michael Olise's valuation this season
Palace spent £8m to sign Olise from Championship side Reading in July 2021, in what now looks to be one of the best transfers in recent memory.
Despite still being just a teenager at the time, the young Frenchman made an instant impact at Selhurst Park, making 31 appearances across the 2021/22 season, in which he scored four goals and provided eight assists.
Appearances
31
40
11
Goals
4
2
6
Assists
8
11
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.38
0.32
0.81
The following season saw the Hammersmith-born gem make 40 appearances for the Eagles, and while his goal tally fell to just two, he increased his output for assists and ended the campaign with 11 to his name.
This year has been a strange one for the "superb" maestro, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, as injuries have disrupted what could've been an exceptional season, considering he's scored six goals and provided three assists in just 11 games, giving him a ridiculous average of a goal involvement once every 1.22 games.
It's clear that the 22-year-old has the ability to thrive in the Premier League, so it makes sense for the Football Transfers Expected Value model to price him at around €37m or £32m – about £24m more than Palace paid Reading. However, as brilliant as Olise is, he's not the most valuable attacker at the club.
Eberechi Eze's valuation this season
The player in question is 25-year-old Eberechi Eze, who has been dazzling fans in South London since Hodgson sanctioned his £20m signing back in August 2020.
Like Olise, the former Queens Park Rangers ace took no time at all to settle into life at Selhurst Park. He ended his first campaign in red and blue with four goals and six assists in 36 appearances.
However, while his French teammate kicked on in his second season at the club, the "magical" Englishman, as dubbed by former coach Paul Hall, suffered a significant injury that restricted him to just 17 appearances, or 898 minutes, in 2021/22. As a result, he scored just one goal and registered one assist.
Appearances
36
17
40
21
Goals
4
1
10
6
Assists
6
1
4
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.27
0.11
0.35
0.42
While a season like that could be enough to throw a young player off course, it seemed to have the opposite effect on Eze, as he returned the following year to score ten goals and provide four assists in 40 appearances.
The Greenwich-born gem's campaign has been similar to his dynamic teammate's this year in that his impressive return of six goals and three assists in 21 games has been totally disrupted by injury.
So far, the 5 foot 10 diamond has missed six games for the club due to his muscle injury, although with him returning to action against Tottenham Hotspur on the weekend, there's hope he could remain fit for the rest of the year.
That said, how much is the Palace star now worth? Well, according to Football Transfers' Expected Value Model, Eze is currently worth around €44m, which is about £37m, or £5m more than Olise.
Crystal Palace could already have their next Olise in "exciting" academy gem
The youngster has been unreal for the academy teams since joining the club.
ByJack Salveson Holmes
Ultimately, while Glasner has quite the job on his hands, he's also incredibly lucky to have a pair of players as talented as these two in his squad, and if they can remain fit and fit over the next couple of years, their valuations will skyrocket.
