If Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, Bayern Munich also placed a second player in the top 10 with Michael Olise, ranked 9th. The French winger embodies the future of the Bavarian club more than ever, and enchants everyone in the Bundesliga, where he was voted best player last season. Sports director Max Eberl returned to the genesis of his recruitment, in 2024.
“In Michael’s case, we had the advantage that Oliver Glasner was his coach at Crystal Palace at the time, and our sporting director, Christoph Freund, knows Glasner very well. When a coach says, “Sure, take it, take it,” you start to ask questions. But Glasner said: “He still has a lot to learn – and we need him.” – This showed us how highly he held Michael. And then there were the interviews with Michael himself. Talking football with him is a real pleasure. (…) Honestly, we knew we were signing an excellent left-footed winger who fit the Bayern mold. But the fact that he is also exceptional… The transfer fee was predictable due to the release clause. His development is also due to the environment and the team around him”explained Max Eberl to Sabener 51. It remains to be seen whether Bayern will manage to extend the contract of their 24-year-old Frenchman, which ends in 2029.
