Remember the Name - Michael Olise
Following the response to my Omar Richards article last week (and a lack of Premier League football for me to write about), there's another Reading player who I don't expect to be at the club much longer. Unlike Omar Richards though, he has another year left on his contract and I think what happens to him will depend upon whether Reading get promoted this season - if we don't, I think we'll need to cash in on him (There are a few players who fit into this bracket).
Having not made an impact at Chelsea and Manchester City academies, he signed for Reading in 2016 and made his debut at just 17. At such a young age, he didn't seem anything special but this season he's really grown into the talent that's started to attract a lot of interest. I think that Veljko Paunovic has been fantastic with all of our players and he's unlocked something in Olise that other managers haven't been able to.
He loves having the ball, he likes to run at players and create chances. He's a crowd pleaser - a poor man's Jack Grealish but with a better shot from direct free kicks. He's got 10 assists and 5 goals so far this season, primarily from corners and free kicks. Not since the days of Nicky Shorey have we had a free kick taker that you expect to score every time he steps up to take one.
He's already played for France at Under 18 level (his mother's french) and is still eligible to play for any of England, France, Nigeria and Algeria - Despite being born in England, unless his progression continues at this ridiculous rate and the options currently available in England's midfield, I can't see him breaking into the England team but he's still only 19 so plenty of time yet!
Transfermarkt has him valued at £10.8m and there have been plenty of rumours about Premier League clubs being interested in him. His younger brother is at Chelsea and it wouldn't be the first time Chelsea have let somebody go and then spent millions getting them back. Leeds United are reportedly interested in the belief that he has an £8m release clause in his contract. Wolves allegedly had a bit turned down last summer and Liverpool are also rumoured to be interested. Reading have good links with Chelsea and Liverpool in particular having done plenty of business in the past with the likes of Nathan Ake, Nathaniel Chalobah, Michael Hector, Lucas Piazon, Ovie Ejaria, Tiago Ilori to name a few being loaned to Reading in recent memory.
At his age though, I'd like to see him stay with us for a couple more seasons until any move that he makes secures him a guaranteed 1st team spot. Too often we see young talents like this move on and disappear into the reserves, never truly flourisihng again.
Like so many talented English youngsters, he'll probably move to Germany next and come back for tens of millions.
