Michael Olise: from Chelsea exit to sparkling form at Crystal Palace

‘The Premier League is known as the top league in the world so it’s definitely going to be a lot tougher,” Michael Olise said in his first interview as a Crystal Palace player. “But nothing I’m not ready for, so …”

Seven months on, the versatile forward whose dazzling array of skills briefly graced the academies of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City has shown he is back where he belongs. Olise’s return of two goals and three assists from the 314 Premier League minutes he had played for Palace by the start of January meant that with a goal contribution every 63 minutes, the 20-year-old was the division’s most productive player.

His instant success at Selhurst Park has come as no surprise to Sean Conlon, who first met him when Olise was playing for his local side Hayes in west London at the age of seven.

“He’s always been someone who scores goals because his control is so good and he is thinking so many steps ahead of everyone else,” Conlon says. “Michael also has so much variety in his technique that allows him to see the picture and means he is able to make the decision on what is the most appropriate finish.”

Conlon had just left Chelsea as a coach and was working as a scout for QPR but was so impressed that he recommended Olise to his former employers. “Michael was also training with Arsenal at the time because before you move into the under-nines, you’re allowed to train with multiple teams,” he says. “But he probably lived closer to Chelsea and they obviously have a great academy so he ended up signing for them.”

While at Chelsea Olise also received individual training from Conlon’s company We Make Footballers, which specialises in developing players between the ages of three and 12, and turned out for his