‘Huge potential’: Reported £20m Leeds and Arsenal target has most assists in his league

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Reading coach Veljko Paunovic hailed the ‘super talented’ Michael Olise after the Liverpool, Leeds United and Arsenal linked midfielder produced yet another assist this weekend, while speaking to Berkshire Live.

While Paunovic’s Royals appear to be a team who perform in fits and bursts – two impressive peaks sandwiching a rather worrying trough during a thrilling start to the season – their teenage talisman appears to have mastered the art of consistency already.

At the age of just 18, Olise is perhaps the most influential ball-player in the Championship already.

After being linked with Liverpool and Everton in November, via TEAMtalk, the former Manchester City youngster produced another pinpoint set-piece to set up Michael Morrison’s goal in Saturday’s 2-0 triumph over an anemic Nottingham Forest side.

No player in the Championship has produced more assists than Olise (six in ten games).

Paunovic dropped Olise from Reading’s starting XI a few weeks back, publicly questioning the youngster’s focus in the media, but the Royals’ young prince has responded in fine style on and off the pitch.

“Michael is super talented,” said former Chicago Fire coach Paunovic.

“Michael knows very well we acknowledge his talent and always support him but he has to keep learning. He still needs to grow and has things that he can implement soon in the future and be an even better player. This is what we are encouraging – not to get content with what he is right now but what he can be.

“We all see huge potential in him and having an impact in our club, delivering to the team and to our fans all his talent and capabilities. But we don’t think it is good for him to think he has done something already.

“Being humble, being focused; he loves football, he loves learning and he loves training so he has to give context to all that and that means he has to become a competitor and when he gets to that level, I’m sure everyone is going to be surprised with what he can do.”

With Reading third in the Championship and within touching distance of top spot, February 1 cannot come soon enough for Paunovic.

The Mail reports that Olise is also a target for Leeds United, Wolves and Arsenal.

The Reading Chronicle, meanwhile, suggest that the Berkshire-based club may be forced to contend with interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid in their £20 million-rated starlet.