Bayern Munich Makes Significant Signing with Crystal Palace Winger Michael Olise
In one of the biggest transfers of the summer, Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich has secured the services of Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise for £50m. This move makes Olise the fourth most expensive signing in Bayern’s history, following the likes of Harry Kane, Lucas Hernandez, and Matthijs de Ligt. The 22-year-old will join Bayern later this summer after his participation in the Paris Olympics with Thierry Henry’s France team.
Olise’s playing style is reminiscent of former Bayern great Arjen Robben, who was known for his ability to cut inside and shoot with his left foot. Don Hutchison, a former West Ham and Scotland midfielder, described Olise as “graceful,” while Jamie Carragher, ex-England and Liverpool defender, labeled him a “superstar.” Despite missing more than half of last season due to hamstring injuries, Olise managed to score 10 goals for Crystal Palace. Only Kane and Jamal Musiala outscored him at Bayern.
Last season, Bayern’s wing options included Musiala, Leroy Sane, Mathys Tel, Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, and Bryan Zaragoza. However, the team failed to win the Bundesliga title for the first time in over a decade. Thus, reinforcements were needed, and Olise’s arrival could see him forming a front three with Sane and Kane under Kompany’s management.
Olise enjoyed a successful stint at Crystal Palace, featuring in 90 games and contributing 16 goals and 25 assists during his three-year tenure. His breakthrough came last season when he reached double figures in goals and was named Palace’s Players’ Player of the Year. He became the first player in the club’s history to achieve 10 assists or more in a Premier League campaign.
Born and raised in London, Olise has opted to represent France at the international level through his mother’s heritage. Although he is also eligible to play for England, having been part of the French Under-23 squad at the Olympics, there is no indication that he intends to switch allegiances. French Olympics boss Thierry Henry praised Olise’s desire to play for France and highlighted that the player had multiple options but chose to commit to the French team.
Olise’s journey to Bayern Munich includes a connection with Chelsea. He spent seven years in Chelsea’s youth setup before leaving at the age of 14. Interestingly, Olise could have been teammates with Musiala at Chelsea, as the two were both part of the club’s academy. While Musiala eventually chose to represent Germany at the senior level, Olise remained focused on his French heritage.
Chelsea’s interest in Olise has been a recurring theme throughout his career. They were reportedly interested in signing him this summer, along with Newcastle, but Olise ultimately decided to join Bayern. A year ago, Chelsea thought they had secured his signature for £35m by activating his release clause, but Olise opted to sign a new deal with Crystal Palace instead. Even in 2021, Chelsea was linked with a move for Olise when he was still playing for Reading.
It’s worth noting that Olise has a younger brother named Richard, who is a 19-year-old defender and has already represented England U18s. While Michael has made his mark on the footballing world with his move to Bayern Munich, Richard is also making progress in his own career.
Overall, Olise’s move to Bayern Munich represents a significant step in his career and showcases his talent and potential. With his graceful playing style and impressive goal-scoring ability, he has the potential to make a considerable impact at the club. Bayern will be hoping that Olise can help them regain their Bundesliga dominance after missing out on the title last season.