Mbappé urges Olise to join Real Madrid, but Bayern closes the door on the transfer
Kylian Mbappé is reportedly trying to convince Michael Olise to join him at Real Madrid after their partnership in the French national team attracted even greater attention during the 2026 World Cup. French and German media have reported in recent days that Olise is interested in the possibility of playing at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium and that Mbappé supports the idea of them playing together at club level as well. However, there is currently no official confirmation that the France captain has held formal talks on behalf of the Madrid club or that Real has taken any concrete step toward Bayern. The only direct official message from Madrid remains the statement issued on June 20, in which Real Madrid explicitly denied any direct or indirect contact with Olise, his representatives or people in his entourage. For that reason, the current story must still be viewed as a transfer possibility fueled by media reports rather than as a deal that has entered the negotiation stage.
At the center of the speculation is the 24-year-old French international who, in only two seasons in Munich, has developed from a highly talented winger into one of the most productive attacking players in European football. Bayern does not regard him as a player for sale, and his contract runs until June 30, 2029. L'Équipe states that any potential price that might persuade the German champion even to consider talks would be between 200 and 250 million euros. Such an amount should not automatically be interpreted as an officially established transfer fee, but rather as a message that Bayern does not want to open a market process around a player who has become one of the symbols of its new team. The latest reports from Germany and Spain therefore assess that a transfer during the summer 2026 transfer window is not realistic.
Mbappé and Olise have developed a strong bond in the French national team
Media reports about Mbappé's involvement are based primarily on the sporting connection between the two players in the national team. Olise finished the 2026 World Cup with seven assists, according to data from the French Football Federation, while Mbappé scored ten goals. France finished the competition in fourth place after losing to Spain in the semifinal and to England in the third-place match, but the partnership between the two attackers remained one of the main talking points of its tournament. Olise's ability to move inside from the right wing, find space between opposing lines and create chances with his left foot naturally complements Mbappé's movement toward the penalty area. It is precisely this compatibility that forms the basis of claims that the Real attacker would like to transfer the same relationship to Madrid.
Such influence by a star player on transfer strategy is not unusual at the biggest clubs, but it does not mean that the player makes decisions instead of the management. Mbappé can present to his teammate the sporting appeal of Real Madrid, the atmosphere in the dressing room and the club's ambitions, but an official deal would require an agreement between two institutions that currently publicly hold completely different positions. Real has denied any contact, while Bayern continues to insist that it has no intention of selling. No offer has been announced, no negotiations have been confirmed, and there has been no public statement from Olise requesting a departure. It is therefore more accurate to speak of Mbappé's alleged persuasion and Olise's alleged openness to Madrid than of a transfer that is close to completion.
Olise has taken on an increasingly important role in the French national team since making his senior debut in September 2024. Official data from the French Football Federation as of July 24, 2026, records 25 appearances and seven goals for France, in addition to the Olympic silver medal won in Paris in 2024. His rise in the national team has unfolded in parallel with his explosion at Bayern, so interest from Europe's biggest clubs is no surprise. Nevertheless, his international closeness with Mbappé cannot by itself remove the contractual and financial obstacles that Bayern places in front of any potential purchase attempt.
Bayern sees Olise as the foundation of the project, not as a source of profit
Bayern signed Olise from Crystal Palace in July 2024 and immediately gave him a five-year contract. In his very first season, the Frenchman justified the investment with 17 goals and 18 assists in 50 competitive appearances. In the 2025/26 season, he raised his output to 25 goals and 28 assists in 57 matches across all competitions, according to official data from the Munich club. Bayern supporters selected him as the club's player of the season for the second consecutive year, while he also received the award for the best Bundesliga player of 2025/26. He was once again the league's leading assist provider, and his statistics demonstrate why Bayern does not want to turn his status into a conventional bidding contest.
For the German club, Olise has a value that goes beyond his number of goals and assists. He is a player around whom an attacking system can be built for several seasons, capable of playing wide along the touchline, moving into the half-space, linking up with the striker and taking responsibility for set pieces. His age is also important: at 24, he is entering the period in which he should reach his peak, while Bayern already has long-term contractual protection. A sale would bring the club enormous revenue, but at the same time it would create a difficult sporting void and send the message that even the best players in the new project are not untouchable. That is precisely why messages are coming from Munich that Bayern is not a selling club and that money is not decisive in this case.
Bayern president Herbert Hainer previously stated, according to reports from ESPN and the Spanish media, that Real Madrid could save itself the effort because Olise was not for sale. Uli Hoeneß, honorary president and a member of the supervisory board, also publicly rejected the idea that an offer of 200 million euros would automatically change the club's position. Lothar Matthäus, the former captain of Bayern and Germany, told Bild that no negotiations were expected in Munich and that the club would rather improve Olise's contract than consider his departure. Although Matthäus does not make operational decisions, his words correspond with the official and semi-official line that Bayern has been repeating for weeks. The club's latest promotional campaign, in which Olise has a prominent role, has additionally been interpreted as a signal that Bayern plans to keep him for the 2026/27 season as well.
Real's official denial remains the key fact
Real Madrid responded to claims of interest in Olise on June 20 with an unusually direct statement. The club announced that it had not had any direct or indirect contact with the player, his representatives or his entourage. At the same time, it emphasized its excellent institutional relationship with Bayern and stated that any potential interest would first be presented to the German club itself. That text was important because it cut through reports claiming that Madrid was already preparing an offer or negotiating behind Bayern's back. By July 24, no new official statement had been published that would alter that position.
The denial, however, does not necessarily mean that Real will never consider Olise. Major clubs continuously monitor the best players, discuss different profiles internally within their sporting departments and assess future possibilities without opening formal negotiations. With his characteristics, Olise fits the profile of a modern right winger who can simultaneously create numerical advantages, provide assists and finish moves. In combination with Mbappé, he could offer an already well-developed international partnership, while his age fits into the long-term construction of the team. However, there is a major difference between sporting interest and a transfer worth more than 200 million euros, especially when the seller has neither a financial nor a contractual need to sell.
In such a deal, Real would also have to assess the consequences for the team's overall structure. A record or near-record transfer fee does not end with a payment to Bayern: it includes a multiyear salary, bonuses, commissions and the expectation that the player will immediately become one of the central figures of the project. The arrival of another attacker with the highest possible status would affect the playing time of existing players and require a clear tactical hierarchy. Madrid therefore has no reason to enter the operation at any cost, particularly if Bayern refuses to negotiate and if the transfer can be considered during a later window. Current reports that the deal is not feasible this summer are consistent with that economic and sporting logic.
The figure of 200 to 250 million euros is more of a wall than a starting point for negotiations
L'Équipe's estimate that Bayern would demand between 200 and 250 million euros demonstrates how much Olise's status has grown. When a club publicly repeats that a player is not for sale, an extremely high figure often serves as a deterrent rather than as an invitation for interested parties to prepare an offer. Bayern is in a strong negotiating position because Olise still has three years remaining on his contract, has made no publicly confirmed request to leave and has completed two seasons in which he collected individual awards. Even if Real were prepared to approach that amount, the German champion could conclude that no replacement of comparable quality is available. In that case, the market price ceases to be the only issue.
Olise's value increased further after the World Cup. Seven assists in a single tournament, an outstanding club season and a recognizable partnership with Mbappé made him one of the most sought-after profiles on the market. However, market appeal is not the same as availability. Bayern can listen to the player's position and offer him improved terms without considering a sale, thereby rewarding his new status and reducing the scope for future speculation. Such a scenario currently appears more realistic than an immediate move to Madrid.
For Olise, Real Madrid would represent one of the biggest possible steps in his career, but remaining at Bayern also offers him a stable role, the status of the main creator and a team built around his qualities. In Madrid, he would share the spotlight with several global stars and would have to adapt to a different distribution of responsibilities. In Munich, he already has the confidence of the coach, the supporters and the management, while the figures from the past two seasons confirm that he is in an environment that makes maximum use of his game. The decision is therefore not merely a question of the prestige of the two clubs, but also an assessment of where he can continue his development without losing his central role.
The most likely outcome is that he remains in Munich
Based on publicly available information, Olise's transfer to Real Madrid during the summer of 2026 remains unlikely. Bayern does not want to sell him, he is tied to a long-term contract, and there is no confirmation that the player has officially requested a transfer. Real Madrid has denied any contact, while the amount mentioned in the French media would be among the largest in football history. Mbappé's alleged persuasion may keep the topic alive and shows how highly he values his international teammate, but it does not change the institutional balance between the clubs. Without a clear decision by Olise to insist on leaving and without an exceptional offer that would force Bayern to change its position, the deal has no realistic basis for a rapid conclusion.
The story, however, will not disappear. Olise is the type of player who will regularly be linked with Real Madrid, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and other clubs capable of financing a transfer at the highest level. His contract until 2029 gives Bayern control, but every new elite season will increase interest and raise questions about the next step in his career. For now, the most important distinction is between confirmed facts and rumors: Olise's contract, Bayern's publicly stated intention to keep him, Real's denial of contact and his exceptional statistics are confirmed; the alleged talks with Mbappé and Olise's desire to leave remain media reports without direct public confirmation from the principal actors.
Sources:
- Real Madrid C. F. – official statement dated June 20, 2026, regarding the absence of direct or indirect contact with Michael Olise (link)
- FC Bayern München – official announcement regarding Olise's arrival from Crystal Palace and his contract until June 30, 2029 (link)
- FC Bayern München – review of Olise's 2025/26 season, his output of 25 goals and 28 assists, and his selection as player of the season (link)
- French Football Federation – official profile, international appearances and individual honors of Michael Olise (link)
- French Football Federation – data on France's performance at the 2026 World Cup, including Olise's seven assists and Mbappé's ten goals (link)
- L'Équipe – report on Olise's interest in Madrid and the estimate that Bayern would demand between 200 and 250 million euros (link)
- AS – reports on Bayern's firm position, its plans to retain Olise and the assessment that a transfer this summer is not realistic (link)