Michael Olise's value soars to €12m after he gets named on Super Eagles standby list

NIGERIAN midfielder Michael Olise's value has soared by €4m overnight to €12m after he was named in the standby list for Nigeria's upcoming 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifying matches against the Republic of Benin and Lesotho.

Olise, 19, a mercurial playmaker seen to have a bright future ahead of him, is eligible to play for England, France and Nigeria. However, he has opted for the Super Eagles, leading head coach to name him on the standby list for the two qualifiers coming up at the end of this month.

This season, Olise has been in fine form for English Championship side Reading, prompting several Premier league clubs to enquire about him. Within 24 hours of him being named in the Nigerian squad, the former Chelsea schoolboy has suddenly become the eleventh most expensive player in the English Championship.

Around a year ago, Olise's market value was just €800,000 but his valuation started to rise after he forced  his way into the Royals' first team. He now has 62 first team Reading appearances under his belt and on the international stage he represented France at the prestigious Toulon Tournament in 2019.

Olise was named as the English Football League Young Player of the Month for December 2020 and France in particular were looking to cap him at senior level. Jose Gomes, the former Reading manager who gave Olise his debut, described as the most exciting attacking talent he has ever worked with.