Bayern’s Gamble: Can Olise Shine Under Kompany’s Rebuild?

Bayern Munich continues to surprise. After appointing Vincent Kompany from Burnley as head coach, the German super club has now signed two players from mid-table English Premier League clubs – João Palhinha and Michael Olise.

Undoubtedly, the English league is currently the richest in European football, which is why many high-level footballers play for local clubs. However, seeing such interest from Bayern Munich in a coach and players from very modest English clubs is quite unusual.

In this article, we will discuss Michael Olise’s transfer for 53 million euros and explore what awaits the 22-year-old French player at one of the biggest clubs in European football.

Name	Michael Akpovie Olise
Date of Birth	12 December 2001 (22 y/o)
Position	Attacking midfielder, Right Winger
Height	185 cm
Current Club	FC Bayern München (Contract until 30 June 2029)
Former Club	Crystal Palace
Transfer Value	€53M
National Team	France U-21, 2 caps

Bayern’s Champions League Slide: Coaching & Transfers – Can They Recover?

After their triumphant 2020 Champions League victory, Bayern struggled to replicate that success. The Bavarian giants crashed out of the tournament at the quarterfinal stage for three consecutive years and only managed to reach the semifinals last year, where Real Madrid outclassed them.

From 2010 to 2020, Bayern consistently reached the Champions League semifinals, making it to the final four times. This successful period was attributed to the selection of top-notch coaches and a competent transfer policy.

However, the past four years have seen significant changes in the team’s coaching staff. Hansi Flick, Julian Nagelsmann, and Thomas Tuchel have all had stints as head coach, and this year, Vincent Kompany has taken the reins.

It’s worth noting that a previous experiment with the appointment of a middle-range coach, Niko Kovač, did not yield positive results and the success of Kompany’s appointment remains to be seen.

Transfers have also played a crucial role in Bayern’s recent struggles. Signings like Matthijs de Ligt, Dayot Upamecano, Eric Dier, Ryan Gravenberch, and Sadio Mane have not lived up to expectations, impacting the team’s performance in both the Champions League and the domestic league.

Bayern struggled to secure the Bundesliga title in 2023, and in 2024, they finished in second place behind Leverkusen, highlighting management issues that have affected the team’s overall performance.

Amid these challenges, rumors have surfaced about the signing of Michael Olise, a young talent from Crystal Palace.

Michael Olise: From Championship Standout to European Prospect

It has only been four years since Olise made his debut for Reading, emerging as one of the standout players in the Championship. After his first season in professional football, Crystal Palace paid just over nine million euros for the talented young player.

Since then, Michael Olise has been a key player for the team. During the last season, he stood out in terms of the quality of his play compared to his teammates, and he was undoubtedly the best player.

In his three years at Crystal Palace, the Frenchman became one of the main playmakers, often playing in the right half-space. By his second season, he had 11 assists, averaging two per game. Olise is known for his accurate long passes from deep into the penalty area and his precise penetrating passes for the forwards. He also had a good track record with free kicks and corner kicks.

Due to playing in a defensive-minded team, Olise frequently had to contribute to defensive duties. He performed well, averaging 1.6 tackles per game in his second season at Palace.

In the 2022-23 season, Michael Olise rarely took shots at the goal and only attempted dribbling occasionally. However, everything changed in the 2023-24 season, as he started to take more initiative and regularly advanced the ball from his half to the opponent’s half.

In his third year at Crystal Palace, Olise made significant progress. He often received the ball between the opposition lines with great skill and executed various shots and passes with his exceptional left foot. He scored ten goals and provided six assists despite playing for a team that was not dominant in the Premier League. He demonstrated his attacking abilities in both fast and positional attacks.

While it’s difficult to identify weaknesses in his play, given his excellent performance on the left side, it’s worth noting that he rarely made a difference in favor of his team. He seldom exhibited the exceptional skill needed to secure wins for his team through individual efforts.

As a result, it’s still being determined how effective he will be in top matches of the Champions League, where the highest quality of attacking play is required. Moreover, Olise missed 13 games in the 2022-23 season and eight matches in 2023-24 due to injuries. This may affect his prospects of achieving success in the competition alongside Leroy Sané.

Is Michael Olise ready to compete with Leroy Sané?

Michael Olise is likely aware that he won’t have the same superstar status and guaranteed spot in the starting lineup at Bayern as he did at Crystal Palace. At Crystal Palace, he was a key player, but things will be different in Munich.

Olise will have to compete with 28-year-old Leroy Sané, one of Bayern München’s top players, for a place in the main squad. Last season, Sané played in 25 of 34 games in the German league, scoring nine goals and providing 11 assists. On average, Sané made 2.7 successful tackles and 3.4 assists per game.

After moving to a dominant team, Olise could see an increase in his successful dribbles and improve his goal and assist numbers. However, he faces tough competition, and it remains to be seen if the 22-year-old Frenchman is ready to adapt quickly to his new club.

If he becomes a backup player, the question remains whether he will have the patience to stay in Leroy Sané’s shadow for a while.

Olise on Fire: Can Kompany Unleash His Dribbling Magic at Bayern?

It will be interesting to see which formation Vincent Kompany will deploy at Bayern. For Michael Olise, any formation will be comfortable if he can receive the ball and beat opponents in the right half-space near the opponents’ penalty area.

If he has support from the fullback, he can showcase his best qualities in dribbling by beating opponents and delivering crosses into the penalty area from the front line or shifting to the center with a subsequent pass or shot.

Conclusions

Michael Olise was among the best attacking players in the English Premier League last season. Playing for mid-table club Crystal Palace, Olise has made tremendous progress in three years, improving his dribbling, assists, and goal-scoring.

If new Bayern coach Vincent Kompany creates optimal conditions for Michael Olise, the Frenchman can combine well with his teammates and regularly create dangerous moments near the opponents’ goal.

However, the French player faces a difficult adaptation to playing for a top club. Moreover, he will have to compete for a place in the main squad with Leroy Sané. There is every reason to believe that very soon, Michael Olise will be able to become one of the most important players for Bayern München. He has huge potential, and now the main thing for Olise is to avoid injuries and show mental toughness to thrive under pressure.