Michael Olise is reportedly close to signing a new deal at Crystal Palace that would see the release clause in his contract go up. It marks a clear indication of how highly the club rate Olise and makes his £8million arrival from Reading last summer look like an even better deal than it had at the time, with the then-teenager ending his final campaign with the Royals by being named the EFL Young Player of the Year.
Patrick Viera said: “When he was at Reading and talking to the manager (Veljko Paunovic) at the time, he really believed that Michael had that quality to play in the Premier League. It was just about creating this kind of place where he could keep improving himself. We knew how good he was. He arrived, and he was injured, so he had a difficult first couple of months – he couldn’t train, and he couldn’t play. He was really frustrated, but he managed to get back on the field, and his work ethic is unbelievable. He is a young player who wants to spend time on the field and wants to improve himself. The more games he plays, the more confidence he gets to perform at this level, and he has already earned the trust of his teammates. He is in a really good place – playing well, enjoying his football, and it is good for the team.”
