Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira has hailed the capture of Michael Olise.
“We have the tools in our football club to make him a better player, and we’ve known him quite well because he’s a player the football club have been following for a long time.
“I think it is important to refresh the squad, to bring some new faces, to bring young talent here, and this is a really good signing for us.”
Palace chairman Steve Parish added: “I’m delighted that Michael has joined us at Crystal Palace. We have been monitoring him extremely closely for an extended period of time, and have been impressed by his consistent performances for Reading at such a young age.
“He clearly has an abundance of talent that I’m sure will excite all of our supporters, and clearly shows our direction of travel for this window.”
Crystal Palace had earler confirmed the signing of Reading midfielder.
The 19-year-old put pen to paper on a five-year contract in south London and becomes new manager Vieira’s first signing.
Olise makes the move to the Premier League having had a superb year in the Championship last season.
Read Also: OFFICIAL: Nigerian Midfielder Olise Joins Crystal Palace On Five-Year Deal
He scored seven goals and registered 12 assists in 44 league appearances as Royals finished seventh in the standings.
Brighton and Brentford had also recently expressed an interest in signing Olise but failed to meet the release clause.
The teenager had a year left on his contract in Berkshire but it was Palace who triggered the £8m release clause in the deal which allowed him to leave Madejski Stadium.
Olise said to the Palace website: “It’s a big moment – Premier League football. It’s a great club and I’m very excited to be here.
“[There are] Good players, a good manager, so I’m ready to start.”
“I had a conversation with the manager and he was talking about how he sees me in the team: the plans, the development and the vision for the club. It’s very good, so I thought it was a good fit.
“The Premier League is known to be the top league in the world, so it’s definitely going to be a lot tougher but nothing that I’m not ready for.”
Olise made 85 appearances for Reading in total, having been handed his debut by Jose Gomes in March 2019.
He was the club’s scholar of the year in 2018/19 and he won the EFL young player of the year award last season. He was also named in the Championship team of the season.
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COMMENTS
“I had a conversation with the manager and he was talking about how he sees me in the team: the plans, the development and the vision for the club. It’s very good, so I thought it was a good fit”.
Has Rohr or some NFF official had a conversation with Olise? This is obviously a guy in demand, and prudent enough not to go to just any destination. If he is to come to us, we have to sell ourselves to him. Let him know our ambitions for the SE, and the role he will play in helping us actualize them. We need to make him an offer he can’t refuse.
Nigeria already did that and could have played for Nigeria already a few months ago but for COVID 19 related restrictions,however,another news also had it that his holding out for his chance with the French national team. We really don’t know where we are now at this moment but if he end up not playing for us, it wouldn’t be NFF fault I believe.