Michael Olise has left Crystal Palace to join German heavyweights Bayern Munich, according to the club’s official website.
The Frenchman has been heavily linked with a move to the Bundesliga over the last few weeks, with the deal being officially announced on Sunday (7th July) evening. It’s a significant loss for the Eagles but represents a great deal of business given where they picked him up from.
Olise always had potential and was extremely highly thought of from a young age, representing the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City during his youth days. However, he’d never get a significant chance with any and would in fact turn professional with then-Championship side Reading.
He’d make his senior debut for the Royals at the age of 17 back in 2019 in a 3-0 loss to Leeds United and would then go onto make a further three appearances that season. It was towards the back end of the following season, 2019/20, where Olise started to get consistent minutes, appearing in 16 of their last 19 matches.
But it would be the 2020/21 season where he really started to put a marker down, enjoying what can only be described as a sublime year in England’s second tier. The winger would register seven goals and a further 12 assists as he proved himself as one of the most exciting talents within the EFL. He’d rightfully earn the EFL’s Young Player of the Season award that year, as well as making the Championship’s Team of the Season.
As a result, he’d move to Crystal Palace that summer, and has since continued his upward trajectory. With 36 goal contributions in the Premier League over the last three seasons for the Eagles in 82 appearances, better is still expected of the winger and at 22 years-of-age, the sky really is the limit.
The Reading Chronicle have reported that the Royals will bank 10% of the profit that Palace have made on the youngster, which will easily be over seven-figures with the deal being worth up to £60 million. Given the Eagles signed him from Reading for just £8 million, it’s a huge positive for the club in a time when money is severely needed amidst all of the ongoing ownership problems.
Writer’s View
It was perhaps the worst kept secret that Olise would be joining Bayern Munich this summer, with a move being heavily reported over the last few weeks. He’s a player who has flourished over the last few seasons and could in turn become one of the world’s best wingers in the future.
Had Reading not given him the platform in the senior game initially, then his career may have already turned out very differently. After spending plenty of time in various Premier League academies, the Royals took somewhat of a punt on him and it’s fair to say that didn’t work out too badly…
Olise is yet another player to break onto the scene in the EFL and we’re seeing more and more players progress onto better things after gaining initial experience in the Football League.
Senior Editor
