Bayern have no intention of selling the in-form France international who has reportedly attracted interest from English powerhouses with his extraordinary performances this season
Few forwards can claim to be in better form than Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise. The France international has taken both the Bundesliga and Champions League by storm this season, recording 18 goals and 27 assists in 41 games across the two competitions. His performances have earned plaudits by teammates, rivals, pundits and former players alike, with several Premier League clubs having reportedly been licking their lips at the thought of luring him back to England.
Yet, Bayern have stressed that they are unwilling to entertain offers – and understandably so.
An extraordinary talent
Olise’s latest performances have turned him into the talk of town. Having toyed with Real Madrid’s defence before pulling off another extraordinary outing in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Paris Saint-Germain, the 24-year-old’s name has entered the Ballon d’Or conversation.
Taking into account that Bayern have what it takes to go all the way in Europe and France are one of the favourites to win the World Cup, winning the accolade later this year would take no one by surprise.
“If you look at his performances over the past few weeks, then Michael Olise is definitely on his way towards the Ballon d’Or,” Bayern Legend Oliver Kahn told Sky Germany.
“You can see the determination from him to be one of the best in the world, and right now, he is definitely up there.
“So if he keeps putting in performances like he has throughout the whole season, but especially in these big moments, he is going to be a big player for us, for sure.”
No Bundesliga player has recorded more assists than Olise’s 18, with the Frenchman also topping the Champions League assist charts with six. His connection with Harry Kane and Luis Díaz has converted them into one of the – if not the – finest attacking tridents in the continent.
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“You can see the determination from him to be one of the best in the world, and right now, he is definitely up there,” Kane said after the tie against Real Madrid. “So if he keeps putting in performances like he has throughout the whole season, but especially in these big moments, he is going to be a big player for us, for sure.”
Premier League move talk lacks realism
With Mohamed Salah departing Liverpool this summer, the Reds are set to explore the market for a potential replacement and former winger Jermaine Pennant took to X to claim the club should “go out and get Olise right now, at all costs.”
To be fair, Olise could be the ideal heir to the Egyptian King’s Merseyside throne, but talk of a move back to England is simply delusional. The Premier League might be considered the best league in Europe and a destination that attracts talent from all over the world, but Bayern Munich are simply one of the most powerful clubs in the continent – a true European giant that belongs at the very top.
Having spent time at the academies of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City before standing out with his performances at Crystal Palace, Olise was there to be snapped up by any interested party. But, after participating in over 80 Premier League games, he decided to turn down several English powerhouses before joining the Bavarians.
Born and raised in London, Olise looked the other way, reportedly snubbed teams such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle United, and decided to get out of his comfort zone by moving to Germany. Kane paved the way and was duly rewarded – now it’s time for Olise to shine away from a league that projects a sense of entitlement which makes historic clubs such as Real Madrid, Milan, Bayern, Juventus and Barcelona scoff.
Amid speculation about Olise’s future, Bayern supervisory board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recalled a story that involves Chelsea’s interest on Franck Ribéry to explain why the France international will stay put no matter what.
“In 2009, we received an incredible offer from Chelsea for Franck Ribéry. At the time, it would have been a new world transfer record. I then went to our then CFO Karl Hopfner and Uli Hoeneß. We discussed for two hours what to do with that offer,” Rummenigge told t-online.de.
“On that day, we made a fundamental decision: that in the future, we would no longer sell any player whom we would miss from a sporting perspective. And that unwritten rule still applies today. For a player like Olise, there is no price tag that would make us flinch.”
Premier League clubs could pile the pressure on Bayern Munich in their bid to circle their prey in the upcoming summer, but it’s wishful thinking to believe that Olise would walk away from the setup that has shaped him into one of the top forwards around.