Bayern Munich have just tied down one star. The CEO wants it known the next one is on his list.
Jan-Christian Dreesen used a press conference on Thursday to steer attention to Michael Olise, 48 hours after his side had beaten Atletico Madrid 2-0 in the Spanish capital for the first time in the club’s history.
Dreesen framed the discussion as a joint responsibility between himself and director of sport Max Eberl.
“That is something Max and I are jointly responsible for. We always said that we don’t just have a fantastic player in Harry, but also other great players in our squad, including Michael Olise. His contract runs until 2029, and we’ll sit down and discuss things at the appropriate time,” he told reporters, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
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The timing is pointed. Bayern recently closed off their Kane file with a new deal for the England captain, and the CEO used the same breath to confirm Olise is the headline act next.
2029 is the lever
Olise’s current deal stretches until the summer of 2029, which is why Dreesen could afford to sound relaxed. A player with two and a half years still to run on his contract is a player a club does not have to negotiate against.
That is the lever Bayern will pull in any conversation about an extension or, indirectly, about Real Madrid.
The French winger arrived from Crystal Palace in 2024 for a fee reported in the region of €53m and has since become one of the most talked-about attackers in Europe. His current market valuation has climbed well above what Bayern paid.
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Real Madrid’s shadow
Real Madrid’s interest is why these press-conference lines carry more weight than they might otherwise. Earlier this year, Spanish and German media reported Madrid were weighing an offer of up to €150m for the French winger before pivoting elsewhere in the market. Bayern publicly dismissed the speculation at the time.
Dreesen himself addressed the Madrid noise in the summer, calling it “astonishing” and “far removed from the truth” and insisting no offers had reached the club.
On Thursday he did not name Madrid. He did not have to. The “appropriate time” phrasing is the diplomatic cover for a club that would rather negotiate from a position of strength than be forced into it by an outside bid.
What Bayern have on their side
Whenever the sit-down happens, Bayern will walk in with the two things any selling club wants and any suitor does not: a long contract and a player who publicly keeps winning on the pitch. Olise was central to the Atletico result on 3 November, part of a team that added a historic European away win to a season that has already put the squad back at the top of Bayern’s own expectations.
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Eberl, whose role covers sporting decisions alongside Dreesen’s executive brief, will be the second signature on any renewal when it comes.
Neither Bayern nor Olise’s camp has given a timeframe. Kane’s deal took months of quiet work before it was announced, and Dreesen’s language suggests Olise’s extension talks will open on Bayern’s timetable.
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