From not celebrating last-minute winners to giving blunt interviews – what’s ‘different’ about Michael Olise?
- The 22-year-old earned an £8.37million move to Crystal Palace from Reading in 2021
- Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos team are putting together summer transfer targets
- Mail Sport's chief football reporter Sami Mokbel gives the latest on Ivan Toney, Conor Gallagher and more It all starts
After a breakthrough season in the Premier League, Michael Olise has caught the attention of a host of top clubs.
Born in London, the 22-year-old winger spent his boyhood days at Chelsea before scoring seven goals in three seasons at Reading.
That earned him an £8.37million move to Palace in the summer of 2021, and he has since scored nine goals in 72 appearances.
One particular club that appears interested in the winger is Man United following the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is keen to overhaul Erik ten Hag's failed attack.
But many United fans will be unaware that Olise often doesn't celebrate his goals and gives extremely blunt interviews.
Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise struck an unstoppable free-kick for his side late on
The Palace winger held a muted celebration after scoring against Manchester United
After a last-minute free-kick against the Red Devils in January earned his side a draw, fans were stunned to see the winger not celebrating.
One fan wrote on social media after the goal: 'Olise is sick in the head, how do you not celebrate after scoring'.
Olise's former Reading teammate, defender Tom McIntyre, spoke to The Athletic and explained the winger's understated scoring reactions.
“We would say he is a bit strange sometimes because when he scored goals he sometimes didn't celebrate,” McIntyre explained.
'We'd say, 'Mike, you've just scored an important goal and you're just walking back? What's he doing?
'Then he played two-touch with the manager (Paunovic) in the gym, there he won a point, and he shouted and celebrated, but on Saturday he scored a goal in front. from the home end and just stand there.
'We never really found out why. He could never give us an answer, but he's just different; a special player.'
McIntyre – who has spent his entire career at Reading – went on to suggest that the winger enjoys being 'different and cool'.
After the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United's attention has shifted to Olise
Manager Erik ten Hag's recent acquisitions have not yet been a success at the club
“Halfway through last season he unfollowed all of us on Instagram and only followed about 15 people,” said the Reading defender.
'There was no one from Reading except maybe one or two of his best friends there, which we all thought was quite funny.
“I know what it is, he likes rapper Lil Uzi Vert and there are a few other rappers he likes. They unfollow everyone on their Instagram and I think he wants to be just like them. That's strange for me and some guys, but for him it's different and cool.”
In November last year, Olise also gave a strangely blunt interview after scoring against West Ham.
“Discuss it with us,” said a reporter on Palace TV. Olise replied: 'What, the purpose? I think Wilf passed me the ball, shot and scored.' When asked if Palace deserved the win, he said: 'Yes'.
