Michael Olise has reportedly decided to leave Bayern Munich for Real Madrid this summer, according to multiple reports from France. The France international, who impressed during the World Cup, is said to have communicated his desire to move to the Spanish capital. A return to the Premier League does not tempt the winger, despite long-standing interest from Liverpool.
Liverpool's Interest Rebuffed
Liverpool have been admirers of Olise since his time at Reading in the Championship five years ago, when they scouted him while monitoring Harvey Elliott during his loan at Blackburn Rovers. However, sources inside Anfield have quickly rebuffed any suggestion that the Reds would look to replace Mohamed Salah with Olise. Earlier this summer, the club believed Olise was happy and settled in Bavaria and not for sale.
Olise's Desire to Join Real Madrid
Foot Mercato and L'Equipe both report that Olise wants to join Real Madrid. He is no longer hiding his desire to leave, having spoken with Aurelien Tchouameni and Kylian Mbappe about the club, with whom he has a particularly strong relationship. It would reportedly take at least £170 million for Bayern to consider selling, but Madrid have already earned £117 million this summer, including £17 million from Osasuna, half the fee Liverpool paid them for Victor Munoz.
Bayern Munich's Firm Stance
Bayern Munich have been bullish about their stance on Olise. Honorary president Uli Hoeness said earlier this year: 'Liverpool have already spent €500 million this year and are having a very poor season; we won't contribute to them playing better next year.' He added: 'We play this game for our fans. We have 430,000 members, we have millions of fans all over the world, and it doesn't help them much if we have €200 million in the bank but play worse football every Saturday because of it.'
Board member for sport Max Eberl was even more emphatic: 'We're not wasting any thought on that. He's a Bayern player and has all the opportunities here that top players could wish for. Michael has a contract with us until 2029, without a release clause - we're relaxed.' Eberl later doubled down: 'We have a long-term project, Michael feels right at home. You can see how this team works, and when we play football like this, there's no chance for anyone else.' Chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen shared a similar stance: 'No matter which club tries to lure him away, anyone who plays for Bayern knows what they have at Bayern.'
Impact and Outlook
The potential transfer would be a significant move for Real Madrid, who are looking to strengthen their attack. Olise's decision to leave Bayern, despite their strong resistance, underscores the pull of the Spanish giants. For Liverpool, the rejection of a Salah replacement means they will need to explore other options in the transfer market. The situation remains fluid, with Bayern insisting Olise is not for sale, but the player's desire to leave could force a resolution.
