Chelsea have a new king of Cobham – & he’s the brother of Europe’s best winger

Despite their commitment to purchasing quite literally every active footballer to exist, Chelsea somehow failed in their pursuit of Michael Olise.

A man who takes nonchalant gimmick to another level, the silky winger was the top target for every top club in the market for an attacker over the last few years.

Chelsea seemed to have personal terms wrapped up and a deal ready to complete for the longest time, until things went quiet and Bayern Munich swooped in to secure the France international’s signature this summer.

That was a spanner in the works of whatever it is they’re cooking at Stamford Bridge, but not for long. A solution has been found in a rather unique way.

What do you do if you can’t deliver Olise in a Chelsea shirt as promised? Easy – sign his brother.

You read that correctly. There is another Olise and he also contains all the tools to become a great in the game. It’s a bloodline Roman Reigns would be jealous of.

First came Michael, then came Richard. The 20-year-old has been at Chelsea since under-nine level and has progressed through every level Cobham has to offer so far.

A right-back by trade, the likelihood is that Michael and Richard grew up playing one-v-one together in the street and the back garden at every possible moment. Probably even in the house, too. A few smashed ornaments. It’s a rite of passage.

As if an insanely talented gene pool wasn’t enough, Richard has grown up learning to defend against one of the trickiest and most lethal wingers in the game right now. If growing up playing against Michael Olise isn’t a proper baptism of fire, we don’t know what is.

Between that and the football education provided by a genuine institution, Chelsea have developed a star in waiting. A defensive rock with an outstanding technical base, young Olise is a brilliant and aggressive defender, but can also carry the ball forward.

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Richard Olise vs RB Leipzig U21 pic.twitter.com/8RJWzBVoj5

— Nathan (@CFC_Nathan_) August 29, 2024

His progression hasn’t gone unnoticed, either.

Despite Enzo Maresca being ruthless and running an incredibly tight ship in the first-team, exiling players he doesn’t value no matter what, he included Olise in his matchday squad for Chelsea’s Europa Conference League tie away to Astana.

It’s a huge show of faith in the 20-year-old in a season where his older brother has established himself as perhaps the most feared winger in European football.

Make no mistake, though. While they share the same surname, Richard is capable of standing on his own two feet.

Forcing his way into the Conference League picture is impressive given the size of Maresca’s squad and given Reece James’ struggles to stay fit, there’s a spot available at right-back for the worthy candidate.

While still incredibly raw – Olise ought to sharpen up in possession in order to hang his hat in the senior side – the 20-year-old has a solid technical base and brilliant physical attributes despite his lack of experience.

If all goes to plan, football might be on the cusp on some of its most talented siblings yet. Gary and Phil Neville are seething somewhere, watching clips of their attempted stepovers. Sorry, chaps – Richard and Michael feel inevitable.

International football is a long way off and his path to the stop isn’t a given, but if Richard can fulfil his lofty potential, we might one day witness an extremely talented, all-Olise right flank.

By Mitch Wilks