Arsenal want to sign ‘exceptional’ player who battled with Bukayo Saka as a kid

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Arsenal’s youth movement could yet see them add another talent in Crystal Palace ace Michael Olise – a player who used to battle with Bukayo Saka.

Saka has been part of that movement under Mikel Arteta, with other Under-25 players like Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli all shining too.

Arsenal continue to be linked with other young players though and they’re believed to be keen on signing Olise.

The Daily Mail claimed earlier this month that Arsenal are expected to be in the race to sign Olise this summer.

Olise, 20, has been hugely impressive in his first season at Palace having joined from Reading for just £8million last summer.

With four goals and nine assists in all competitions, Olise has impressed for the Eagles and could now land himself a big move.

Interestingly, a move to Arsenal would see him join forces with Saka rather than playing against him.

The Daily Mail have spoken to Michael Richards, who was Olise’s coach all the way back at Hayes Under 7’s.

Richards called Olise ‘special’ from the very first moment, gliding around the pitch even as a kid.

With Olise turning out for Hayes, Saka was playing for Greenford Celtic just five miles away in the London football scene.

That meant Olise and Saka were able to go head-to-head in youth football, battling it out long before the knowledge that they would be doing the same in the Premier League.

Richards hailed both players, suggesting they were ‘exceptional’ and clearly far above anybody else on the pitch even as youngsters.

“It was basically the Michael and Bukayo show. You could see that both of them were exceptional, far above everyone else,” said Richards.

From battling as Under-7’s to potentially playing with each other at Arsenal, this could be a welcome change for Olise and Saka.

There would be a battle in itself though as Olise mostly plays down the right flank – which is Saka’s position for Arsenal.

Olise can also play as a number 10 though, so Richards may finally be able to see the duo playing together rather than tearing it up against each other after all these years.