Southgate in battle with THREE countries to persuade Olise to play for England

ENGLAND boss Gareth Southgate faces a battle to persuade Crystal Palace wonderkid Michael Olise to represent the Three Lions.

The winger has been in sensational form for Crystal Palace this season, and it has not gone unnoticed on the club and international stage.

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According to MailOnline, Southgate is vying with THREE other countries, including France, to convince Olise of his international future.

It is reported that the 20-year-old ‘is leaning towards staying with France, whom he has represented at Under 18 level’.

Olise’s dad is Nigerian while his mother is French-Algerian, so he has even more options on where his future lies.

The former Reading star last played for France U18s three years ago, and was on the standby list for Nigerian for Afcon, but never made the full squad.

Talks are said to be ‘ongoing’, with Southgate not giving up hope he can persuade Olise to switch his allegiance.

Palace are facing a fight to keep the wonderkid this summer.

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Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Lille and Bayern Munich are among those keeping tabs on the exciting 20-year-old Eagle.

Palace pulled off a coup by pipping a number of bigger Prem and European clubs to sign him from Reading in an £8million deal in July.

But the south Londoners are already staring at the prospect of losing him in the next window following his increasingly impressive displays for them this season.

The Hammersmith-born rookie has made just 21 top flight appearances, with 12 of those as a sub.

But the way he has settled seamlessly into Premier League football has kept him on the radar of a number of clubs at home and abroad.

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