Bayern Munich have definitively ruled out selling Michael Olise this summer, with board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge stating the club will not entertain any offer for the French winger, no matter how high the fee. According to an interview with German outlet t-online, Rummenigge revealed that Bayern operate under a long-standing internal policy of never selling a player deemed irreplaceable on the pitch, a principle he says was cemented after the club rejected a world-record bid from Chelsea for Franck Ribery in 2009. This stance directly impacts Liverpool, who had reportedly identified Olise as a dream successor for the departing Mohamed Salah.
Rummenigge explained the historical precedent, recalling the pivotal decision made over fifteen years ago. "In 2009, we had an incredible offer from Chelsea for Franck Ribery," he said. "At the time, it would have been a new world transfer record. I then went to our then CFO, Karl Hopfner, and Uli Hoeness with this offer. We discussed it for two hours, trying to figure out what to do with it. That day, we made a fundamental decision: that in the future, we would never sell a player we would miss on the pitch. And this unwritten rule still applies today."
The board member applied this logic directly to the current situation with Olise. "For a player like Olise, there's no price tag that would make us flinch," Rummenigge stated, echoing recent comments from honorary president Uli Hoeness, who had earlier claimed he would reject even a €200 million bid. Olise has become a cornerstone for Bayern since his 2024 move, scoring 39 goals and providing 52 assists in 101 appearances, and playing a key role in their recent Bundesliga title win and Champions League campaign.
The news represents a significant blow to Liverpool's reported transfer plans. With Salah's era at Anfield coming to a close, the club's search for a marquee right-sided attacker was said to be focused on the 24-year-old Olise, whose blend of creativity and goal threat made him a seemingly ideal candidate. Bayern's firm stance, rooted in historical principle rather than mere posturing, leaves the Merseyside club needing to explore alternative targets in what is expected to be a pivotal summer window.
Rummenigge also praised Olise's character and ability, highlighting traits that make him invaluable to the German champions. "He's a wonderful player. I appreciate how reserved and almost media-shy he is. That's rare these days. He's a great guy, and on the pitch, he's outstanding, the way he plays football, almost magically," he said. With Olise under a long-term contract and central to Bayern's future project, any lingering speculation linking him with a move, including reported interest from Paris Saint-Germain, appears to be firmly closed for the foreseeable future.
