Promising young midfielder Michael Olise has signed a three-year professional contract with Reading.

Olise recently returned to pre-season training following a summer of international action with the France Under-18s squad in Toulon. And Olise has now put pen to paper on a contract which will run until the summer of 2022.

Royals manager José Gomes said: “Michael is a very young, talented footballer. Age doesn’t matter to me as a first team manager; when young players show me they have the talent, they will get opportunities to prove themselves at senior level - and Michael grabbed his chance with both hands. He has earned this new contract and now I look forward to working with him on the training pitch.”

Aged just 17 years and 90 days, Olise became the 51st Academy graduate to break into the Royals first team when José Gomes handed him his debut against Leeds United in March.

He went on to make three more appearances for the first team last season and, when he was rewarded with his first senior start away at Stoke City that same month, he became the youngest player in the Championship to play more than once in the 2018-19 league campaign.

Olise was also the only player to play for our Under-18s, Under-23s and the first team last season, earning himself the Maurice Evans Memorial Trophy for 2018-19 Scholar of the Season.

Olise joined the Reading Academy as an Under-15 player and will still be eligible to play for our Under-18s next season as a second year scholar. However, his aim is sure to be on earning more minutes for our first team in 2019-20.

Chief executive Nigel Howe said: “Michael is yet another young player who has successfully come through our Academy ranks and demonstrated the required desire, determination, attitude and ability to force his way into the first team reckoning here at Reading. 

"Now he needs to take the next step forward in his career and I am delighted he has agreed to take it as a Royal.”