When Patrick Vieira’s Palace side cleared out some of the evident deadwood that was in place following Roy Hodgson’s time in charge of the club, not many could have predicted some of the exciting talent that would walk through the door at Selhurst Park. One of them is Michael Olise, a player signed from Championship side Reading for £8 million.
Arriving at the club after receiving rave reviews from Royals fans and Championship admirers alike, Olise got off to a fairly slow start due to a few persistent injuries and the fact that new manager Vieira was trying to establish his favoured setup ahead of his managerial debut in the Premier League. In numerous games, though, Olise was providing the spark Palace needed off the bench and fans were instantly calling for the EFL Young Player of the season to be given more of a chance in the Arsenal legend’s new-look Palace team.
In recent times, it appears as though Patrick Vieira has realised the evident talent of the former Chelsea and Manchester City trainee. Olise has, without a doubt, got the hunger to succeed at the club and – above all else – the ability required to open up teams and entertain fans, similar in many respects to Wilfried Zaha. In fact, with Zaha hogging the limelight on occasions, Olise has been the player many Palace fans have been able to revert back to. After all, Zaha isn’t going to perform to the levels that he has done forever and given the never-ending uncertainty around his future, many Eagles fans are searching for a new, longer-term hero. Step forward, Michael Olise.
Olise is a natural
When football fans take to a player, it’s generally due to the passion and commitment they show on a weekly basis, but also the undoubted natural ability and all-round arrogance in possession in specific areas of the pitch. Unfazed by the aggressive press from certain teams and comfortable in tight areas, Olise immediately fits the bill in that respect. His comfort on the ball is a joy to watch and his effortless runs make him a fan favourite. At the age of just 20, Olise is doing it in the biggest domestic football competition on the planet and in a side that hasn’t been known for its flair in recent years. In Michael Olise, Palace have a player who epitomises the new, more attack-minded project that is being headed up by Patrick Vieira.
Richer clubs are circling
While Palace are having a good season and the future looks bright, if you look at the ranking for the richest club in the world 2022, you’ll know that they can be outmuscled in the transfer market.
They have been through it before with Wilfried Zaha, and it looks like they’ll go through it again with Michael Olise. Given his impressive numbers and growing reputation, Palace will undoubtedly have to fend off interest in the future – yet another ingredient that can make supporters fall even more in love with a particular player. Olise appears to be here for the long-term too, despite reported interest from the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal. As Palace have shown with Wilfried Zaha previously, fan-favourites are hard to poach
The stats don’t lie
Michael Olise’s stats certainly don’t lie either. In fact, the young Frenchman has been improving with every game. As such, no player aged 21 or under has provided more Premier League assists (5) this season. On top of this, he has the 10th-most assists in England’s top flight despite starting just 8 games in the division. Described by many Palace fans as a Rolls-Royce of a footballer, Olise is backing up the evident hype surrounding his name.
Olise has the ability needed to reach the very top
Should Olise continue developing under Patrick Vieira at Palace, then it’s inevitable that he’ll be playing top-level European football at some stage in his career, but hopefully Palace fans can enjoy him a while longer yet before that scenario arises. For now, the youngster is showcasing his immense talent and refreshing confidence on a weekly basis. As his stock continues to rise, so too will the love from the Eagles faithful.
