In an interesting turn of events, Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly targeting 2021 Super Eagles invitee Michael Olise as a replacement for Lionel Messi, Soccernet.ng understands.
According to L’Equipe (as per Le10Sport), the French champions are attempting to lure the Crystal Palace No.7 away from the English Premier League, where he has emerged as this season’s revelation.
The potential move comes as Messi’s future at PSG hangs in the balance after he was suspended for two weeks for an unauthorised promotional trip to Saudi Arabia. The club’s supporters have been seen protesting against Messi, and the Argentine international is expected to leave the French giants this summer.
Among the options to replace the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner are former Super Eagles target Olise, Rayan Cherki, Bernardo Silva, and Moussa Diaby.
However, Olise, signed by Crystal Palace for just £8m in July 2021, has developed into one of the best attackers in the Premier League, scoring two goals and providing nine assists in 33 appearances this season.
Olise is the youngest player to register at least nine Premier League assists since Trent Alexander-Arnold in 2018/19, and his nine assists are the fourth-most in the Premier League this term.
The 21-year-old has caught the attention of several top European clubs, including Arsenal and PSG.
While PSG’s interest in Olise is certainly flattering, some experts believe that the young attacker would be better off signing for Arsenal.
PSG are currently in a state of turmoil, with reports suggesting that even Neymar is up for sale after fans protested outside his home. The pressure to succeed at PSG may not be suitable for Olise, who is still in the early stages of his career.
On the other hand, Arsenal under Mikel Arteta have created an environment where young players can express themselves and develop, as seen with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and William Saliba.
It remains to be seen whether Olise will choose to sign for Arsenal or PSG, but one thing is certain: he is a hot commodity in the transfer market and will have plenty of suitors this summer.
