Crystal Palace will make 19-year-old Reading winger Michael Olise their first signing of the summer for new boss Patrick Vieira, who strikes a deal ahead of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
90 minutes can confirm that Palace have agreed on personal terms with Olise over a long-term deal and he will soon be revealed by the Eagles to start the club’s new era.
The teenager, who was born in England but has represented France at junior level, will cost Palace £ 8m after activating a release clause in his Reading contract.
After making his senior debut as a 17-year-old before even signing his first professional contract with the Royals, Olise became a first team regular last season. He made 44 appearances in the championship, made seven appearances and collected another 12 assists.
Olise is only 19 years old but lit the championship last season / James Williamson – AMA / Getty Images
Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea all expressed interest, while his younger brother Richard is already part of the latter youth team.
Further afield, Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, who all have strong records for developing young talent, also kept a close eye on Olise’s development.
Bayern in particular had already completed the signing of their former Reading team-mate Omar Richards to a long-term contract earlier this summer. Bundesliga champions also previously poached Jamal Musiala, who was in Germany’s Euro 2020 squad, from Chelsea’s academy in 2019.
Olise’s arrival will be part of an important group team training at the Palace ahead of the new season. Aside from saying goodbye to Roy Hodgson and welcoming new boss Vieira, as many as 11 first-team players have left as free agents, including Andros Townsend and Patrick van Aanholt.
Crystal Palace has appointed Patrick Vieira as its new boss / Chris Brunskill / Fantasista / Getty Images
But remodeling is something that Vieira, in his first managerial role in England, is looking forward to.
“It’s a project that really appeals to me,” he said when his appointment was confirmed. “The club has fantastic foundations in place after many years in the Premier League, and I hope we can make further improvements and continue to drive the club forward.”
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