Reading chiefs are convinced Michael Olise will be a huge success with Crystal Palace.

It was at Reading that Olise made his mark at senior level, winning the EFL Young Player of the Season award in his final campaign at the club before he moved to Crystal Palace.

First watching on as sporting director and then taking charge as manager, Mark Bowen quickly became familiar with Olise's self-confidence.

“In the last 20 years I've had working with young players, I found him to be quite unique," Bowen told the London Evening Standard.

“The first thing that stuck in my mind was the arrogance that he had and I mean that in a nice way.

“In the training sessions, he would literally stand on the ball and invite the defenders over. One or two senior players would clatter into him, sending him a little message.

“There wasn't any moaning or crying though. He would look across to me and shake his head, and then he'd bounce up and carry on. That's unusual at that age.

“At times after training, I had to pull him over and say 'Michael be careful, don't take the micky, You've got the ability, use it wisely.'"

Olise's start to life at Palace was not helped by injury problems, as he made just two Premier League starts before the turn of the year.

The 20-year-old has already made seven league starts in 2022 though and his former manager is confident the minutes will only increase.

“It will come, he'll be a regular," Bowen believes.

“I look at him now and for all the ability he's got, what really makes top players is that they make the right choices at the right time. When to pass, when to dribble, when to shoot.

“Michael will get there but he's still learning those key things."