Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise is one of the biggest revelations in world football. Arriving from Crystal Palace, the 24-year-old hit the ground running and hasn’t looked back since. Max Eberl spoke to Säbener 51 (Bayern’s in-house publication) about how the Bavarians pounced on the deal.
“He had a somewhat unsettled career path, having attended several academies in England. But that kind of background doesn’t necessarily have to be a red flag — overcoming adversity can also shape a player,” Eberl
said (as captured by X account @iMiaSanMia). “To get to know a footballer, most of all, you need to speak to people who have known him as either a teammate or an opponent.”
The 53-year-old revealed that the club had connections to then-Palace manager Oliver Glasner through sporting director Christoph Freund, a fellow Austrian.
“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,” Eberl continued. “When a coach says, ‘Of course, take him, take him,’ you start to wonder. But Glasner said, ‘He still has a lot to learn—and we need him.’ That told us how highly he valued Michael. And then there were the conversations with Michael himself. Talking football with him is a real pleasure.”
Eberl went on to say that Olise is a player he and Bayern felt would fit Vincent Kompany’s system, and that his rapid development is down to the club staff.
“Honestly, we knew we were signing a very good left-footed winger who fits the Bayern mold,” Eberl said. “But the fact that he would turn out to be this exceptional… The transfer fee was predictable because of the release clause. His development is also down to the environment and the team around him.”
Since then, Olise’s market value has skyrocketed into nine figures, cementing his status as one of the most sought-after right wingers in Europe.
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