Crystal Palace are reportedly considering reporting Chelsea for the way in which they approached Michael Olise.
The Blues are set to continue their mammoth spending spree under owner Todd Boehly after activating the 21-year-old winger's "complex" £35 million release clause.
Olise, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, has also attracted interest from Premier League champions Manchester City but is believed to prefer a switch to Chelsea.
Palace are desperate to keep the France youth international after losing talisman Wilfried Zaha to Galatasaray on a free transfer.
And a new report from the Daily Mail claims the South London club are not happy with the way Chelsea have gone about their business.
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Palace believe Chelsea may well have fallen foul of transfer rules and etiquette, aggravating their top brass with an "illegal" approach they feel "crossed the line".
The Eagles have unofficially expressed their dissatisfaction to Chelsea and have considered "formally reporting" the two-time Champions League winners over the tapping up claims.
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Chelsea are said to have a clear conscience that there is no wrongdoing on their part and it's common knowledge that buying clubs are frequently in touch with players long before they table an offer.
Former Reading man Olise laid on 11 assists in an impressive campaign for Palace last term and the club have done their best to try and convince him to stay put.
However, it's looking as though Olise will move onto pastures new and follow on from Chelsea's recent record £115 million capture of Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo.
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The impending £53 million transfer for Romeo Lavia of Southampton, also a target for Liverpool, could take the Blues' spending under Boehly to nearly £1 billion in just three transfer windows.
Palace and Chelsea have all been in discussions over a loan for versatile left-back Lewis Hall, though things have been held up slightly.
Topics: Crystal Palace, Michael Olise, Chelsea, Premier League, Todd Boehly
Josh Lawless