'He is a top player' - Ex-Tottenham striker encourages Arsenal to sign 2021 Super Eagles invitee

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent is encouraging Arsenal to make a move for 2021 Super Eagles invitee Michael Olise during the summer transfer window.

Olise has impressed in his first season at Crystal Palace after joining them from Reading last summer, with a goal involvement of 11 (4 goals, 7 assists) in 24 all-competition appearances.

The Anglo-French-Nigerian-Algerian winger has forced his way into the starting lineup of Crystal Palace since the start of 2022, starting seven of the nine matches played by the Eagles in the Premier League.

And he has been a key player for his team in the Emirates FA Cup, scoring and assisting in the third and fourth rounds of the competition.

Bent believes Olise would bolster Mikel Arteta's attack if Arsenal managed to beat other interested teams to his signature.

"He is certainly the type of player Mikel Arteta will like," Bent told Soccer Saturday, according to Express.

"We know he likes young players and this kid has really impressed me. For large spells I thought it was just all about Wilfried Zaha and Eze but at the moment he has himself into the team and been sensational.

"He can go past people, he has a nice range of passing, he can score a goal and his final delivery has been lovely. I think he is a top player."

Bent added : "It makes sense – if you look at what Mikel Arteta has done in the transfer market at the start of the season, all the players were 24 or younger. He [Olise] fits that kind of mould.

"The only thing you would say is where would he play because in those front areas, Arsenal are quite loaded.

"Someone of that quality, it doesn’t surprise me to see Arsenal and those top sides interested."

Olise, 20, was named in the Super Eagles expanded roster for their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho last March.

Igho Kingsley