OFFICIAL: Nigerian Midfielder Olise Joins Crystal Palace On Five-Year Deal

Crystal Palace have announced the signing of England-born Nigerian midfielder Michael Olise from Reading, Completesports.com reports.

According to a statement released on Palace’s official website on Thursday, Olise joined Palace on a five-year contract. 

“Crystal Palace have completed the signing of highly-rated teenager Michael Olise from Reading.

“Olise, a 19-year-old attacking midfielder, has signed a five-year contract with the club as Palace’s first arrival since Patrick Vieira’s appointment as manager.”

Olise moves to south London after a season with Reading that saw him earn seven goals and 12 assists from 46 games.

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He started his youth career with Chelsea, before joining Manchester City and then Reading, where he worked his way through the system and earned a first-team debut in March 2019, aged just 17. 

This achievement – and three further senior appearances – secured Olise Reading’s Scholar of the Season Award for 2018/19.

He enjoyed more minutes with the Royals in 19/20 and scored his first professional goal in September 2019 against Barnsley.

But it was in 20/21 where Olise’s name truly came to the fore, with the promising youngster scooping a trio of awards for his impressive performances: EFL Young Player of the Season, and inclusion in the Championship Team of the Season as well as the PFA’s Championship Team of the Year.

Internationally, the attacking midfielder has represented France Under-18s in the Toulon Tournament.

Olise said: “It’s a big moment – Premier League football. It’s a great club and I’m very excited to be here. Good players, a good manager, so I’m ready to start.”

He was born in England to a Nigerian father, and French-Algerian mother and is eligible to represent France, Algeria, England, and Nigeria internationally.

On 27 May 2019, Olise was called up to the France U-18 for the 2019 Toulon Tournament and made his debut on 2 June 2019, against Qatar U-23. 

In March 2021, Olise was named as a standby for the Nigeria squad ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho.

By James Agberebi 

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