Sold at £8m, now worth triple: Leeds had a nightmare over "fearless" 5 ft 9 magician - opinion

When Leeds United travel to Selhurst Park later next month to take on Crystal Palace, there will be one player in the opposition ranks whom the club will wonder what could have been.

Michael Olise has been one of the shining lights for the Eagles this season in the Premier League as they continue to push up the table, but he could have been playing for the white of Leeds had the Yorkshire club acted on their interest.

Reports back in January 2021 suggested that then manager Marcelo Bielsa was very interested in landing the France U21 international, but a deal failed to materialise.

Then, according to TEAMtalk in the summer, Ligue 1 champions Lille put their name into the hat to take the teenager back to his native France, with the French side battling Leeds for his signature.

Of course in the end, it was fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace who won the race for him, and it’s been a debut campaign in the top-flight that has surely left Leeds thinking ‘what if’.

With seven goals and 12 assists, Olise was an absolute revelation in the Championship for Reading last term, and it’s no surprise that he has earned so many reviews for both his performances and incredible technical ability.

His Reading team-mate Sam Baldock said early last year: “Michael is a real talent, he’ll get on the ball in any situation. He’s fearless, if you ask him today I’ll guarantee that he had no nerves. He’s a lively character and one who I’ve noticed a real change in the last couple of months.”

Hailed as “super talented” by Reading boss Veljko Paunović, Olise’s former Royals manager Jose Gomes added: “Michael is really special. He can see, even before receiving the ball, more options than regular players. His technical ability and speed,