EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool, Chelsea join race for Championship winger rated as best outside Prem
TEAMtalk can reveal that Reading starlet Michael Olise has clubs and countries battling for him.
Winger Olise has been in sparkling form for the Royals, playing a huge role in their rise to the top of the Championship.
Olise, 18, was already been tracked by Arsenal, Leeds and Wolves, but now we can reveal that Merseyside giants Liverpool and Everton along with Chelsea and Manchester City – have all been watching him closely in recent weeks.
Interestingly Olise spent time with Chelsea and City as a youngster, before joining Reading.
Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Monaco and Napoli have also shown an interest in a player, who many scouts believe is the best prospect outside the Premier League.
Olise has just over 18 months left on his current deal at the Madejski Stadium and the club are aware of the mounting interest.
He played in Friday’s surprise 3-1 defeat to Coventry – their first defeat of the season. Olise has scored twice and grabbed three assists in nine Championship games.
Olise made his first team debut for Reading in 2019 and has since registered 29 appearances. Last month, he scored his first goal in professional football.
And whilst a host of clubs are battling for his services, there is also something of a tug-of-war going on for his international future.
Olise is a France Under-18 international and featured for them at the Toulon Tournament, but he is still eligible for Nigeria and England.
His brother Richard, currently at Chelsea, has been capped by England at youth level.
Now Olise could have some very big decisions to make in the coming months, both for club and country.
Liverpool target Alaba given warning
Meanwhile, David Alaba has been warned to “think twice” before leaving Bayern Munich, amid January transfer links with Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp is on the lookout for more defensive cover in the wake of Virgil van Dijk’s season-ending ACL injury.
And while Alaba might not be the natural centre-back Klopp desperately needs, he is seemingly in his thinking.
