Michael Olise withdraws from the France U21 squad with a foot injury as winger emerges as a doubt for Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park clash with Arsenal after the international break
- Michael Olise has been a standout performer at Crystal Palace this season
- He has now picked up a foot injury while away with the France Under-21 squad
- Olise may now been a doubt for Palace’s next match against Arsenal on April 4
Crystal Palace have been dealt a potential blow following the news that Michael Olise has had to withdraw from international duty with a foot injury.
The 20-year-old was called up to the France Under-21 squad for the first time this month, and made his debut for the team as a substitute on Thursday against the Faroe Islands.
He will have been looking to get some more minutes under his belt against Northern Ireland on Monday, but he has been ruled out of that clash due to ‘inflammation’ in his left foot.
Michael Olise has been forced to withdraw from the France Under-21 squad due to a foot injury
Olise is now set to return to his club, who will assess the severity of the issue.
Palace will hope that the setback is only a minor one as Olise has become a key player in his maiden campaign at Selhurst Park, with his performances catching the eye of Gareth Southgate.
The winger was born in England, and is still eligible to play for the Three Lions.
It has been reported that Southgate remains keen to try to convince him to switch allegiances.
Olise’s injury is a setback for Patrick Vieira who has been heavily reliant on the winger recently
Olise has settled in quickly at Crystal Palace in his first season in the Premier League
In 22 top-flight appearances in 2021-22, Olise has been directly involved in seven goals, scoring twice and providing five assists.
The Eagles are currently on a six-match unbeaten run across all competitions, and Olise has started all of those games.
He has also thrived in the FA Cup, registering five goal contributions in four appearances to help Patrick Vieira’s side progress into the semi-finals.
Palace are due to face Chelsea at Wembley on April 17, and will want to have Olise available for that match as they aim to move one step closer to picking up some major silverware.
Before then, they take on Arsenal and Leicester in the league, and it remains to be seen whether Olise will be fit for those fixtures.