Arsenal legend Thierry Henry appears to have put an end to the speculation surrounding the international future of highly-regarded winger Michael Olise.
Olise, a native of London, England, aged twenty-two, is eligible to represent Nigeria and Algeria through his father and mother, respectively, but has committed his allegiance to France. The Crystal Palace standout was surprisingly left out of Didier Deschamps’ French squad for the ongoing European Championship, leading to interest from the English Football Association.
However, Henry, who currently manages France’s U-21 team and the Olympic squad, has validated Olise’s intention to play for Les Bleus at the senior level. Olise has previously featured for France at the U-18 and U-21 levels and has been named in Henry’s preliminary roster for the upcoming Olympics in Paris.
During a press briefing, Henry was quoted as saying, “We are aware of the various options available to him, but he is determined to represent France. His eagerness to demonstrate his commitment to the French national team is noteworthy.
“If he were English, he would have likely chosen to play for England by now. He could have opted to participate in the Euros with the English team, like his Crystal Palace teammate Eberechi Eze, but he has expressed his desire to play for France, despite knowing he wouldn’t have played in the Euros.”
Olise’s decision regarding his international career coincides with an imminent club transfer. The promising young talent is reportedly on the verge of moving to Bayern Munich, rejecting interest from Chelsea, Newcastle United, Manchester United, and Manchester City.
Vincent Kompany’s Bayern side appears to be on the brink of securing the gifted winger, solidifying Olise’s intention to depart England.
