France manager Didier Deschamps has asked Michael Olise to clarify his club future before the start of the World Cup, with Real Madrid heavily linked with a move for the Bayern Munich winger.
Olise has established himself as a key player since joining Bayern in 2024, scoring 22 goals and providing 27 assists in 52 games across all competitions last season as Vincent Kompany’s side secured both the Bundesliga title and the German Cup. His impressive form has attracted attention from Real Madrid, where current president Florentino Perez has pledged to make a significant transfer investment should he win upcoming elections.
Perez initially denied that Olise was the target of this pledge, made during a campaign rally on Friday, but reports in The Telegraph and The Guardian suggest that the Spanish giants are preparing a club-record bid of €150 million (£130m) for the 24-year-old. Bayern Munich, however, have been resolute in their stance, with club chief Uli Hoeness stating in March that Olise would not be sold, even for a fee as high as €200 million (£172m).
Deschamps is keen to avoid any distractions for his players ahead of the tournament and has requested that Olise, along with teammates Mike Maignan, Maxence Lacroix, Adrien Rabiot, Manu Kone and Jean-Philippe Mateta – all of whom face uncertain futures – resolve their situations swiftly. “Obviously the faster the situation is clarified, the better it will be,” Deschamps said, according to RMC Sport. “I tell everyone that once the World Cup has started, there will be no need to think about anything else.”
France are drawn in a challenging World Cup group alongside Senegal and Norway, with warm-up matches scheduled against Northern Ireland before the tournament begins. Olise is expected to feature prominently in France’s attack, potentially alongside Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe. The situation remains fluid, but the pressure is mounting on Olise to make a decision that will not compromise his international ambitions.
