Super Eagles invitee urged to shun Arsenal, Chelsea

Reading are poised to lose at least one of their two gems of Nigerian descent this transfer window after they both enjoyed a stellar campaign

Former Reading ace, Lawrie Sanchez, has urged Michael Olise to ignore the attraction of big Premier League clubs and remain with the Royals for at least another year to aid his progress.

Olise enjoyed an excellent campaign, as Reading finished the Championship season just outside of the playoff spots.

The Super Eagles invitee scored seven goals and 12 assists in 46 games for the Royals during the recently concluded season.

Olise’s brilliance has been rewarded as the 20-year-old was named the Championship Young Player of the Season and in the Team of the Season. Olise also went home with Reading’s EA Sports Young Player of the Season award.

It is expected that a host of clubs would be knocking on the doors of Reading to take away their most prized asset.

Arsenal should once again be at the forefront of teams looking to sign the talented midfielder, with the Gunners believed to be one of three clubs that had a £5m bid turned down at the end of the 2020 summer window.

With the transfer window kicking off and Olise’s release clause reportedly set for £8 million, Arsenal are again interested in the Reading star. 

Chelsea, Spurs, Leeds, Lille, and Bayern Munich are the other clubs interested in the youngster.

However, former Reading hero Sanchez, who once managed Northern Ireland, Fulham, and Barnet, has advised the youngster to delay any move to a top Premier League side.

“I read somewhere there’s an £8 million release clause – I’m sure clubs will offer that this year for him, I’ve no doubt,” Sanchez told Football League World.

“For me, another year at Reading wouldn’t do him any harm – they almost got into the playoffs this year, and it helped him develop, and another year’s development isn’t a bad thing.”

Olise, who mainly plays as an attacking midfielder, is currently under contract until 2023.

A French youth international with two caps at u18 level, he is still eligible to feature for the Super Eagles through his father.

Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr named the midfielder in the expanded list of players invited for Nigeria’s Afcon qualifiers in March, but he didn’t make the final roster.