Welcome to the ESPN FC hotlist, which each month highlights some of the most in-form talent aged 23 or under across Europe.
Generally, young but established stars like Manchester City‘s Erling Haaland, Borussia Dortmund‘s Jude Bellingham or Barcelona‘s Gavi aren’t included — otherwise they’d be on the list every month — but we’ll shine a light on some of those who deserve praise for their performances and who could potentially be European football’s next big name.
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Olise has had an impressive Premier League season, with three assists in the 5-1 demolition of Leeds United at Elland Road on April 9 demonstrating his potential.
A brilliant set-piece taker, he is a master of combinational play with his teammates in the final third and, though used as a central attacking midfielder for the France under-21 side, he has proven pivotal in an inverted wide role for Palace.
Olise’s dribbling and ball progression make him particularly valuable in the transitional phase, while his fine crossing technique and passing vision — as witnessed by his delicate assist to set up Palace’s second goal against West Ham — help make him an intelligent and efficient midfielder. He has been instrumental in Roy Hodgson’s remarkable revival in south London and is the fourth on the list of Premier League assists this season.
