Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has named his price for the next galáctico: $174 million, and the player he has in mind is Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise. The announcement came last Thursday, mid-election campaign, as Pérez — seeking another four-year term — made clear that securing the Frenchman would be a priority should he win Tuesday's vote.
That figure isn't plucked from thin air. It matches Olise's current Transfermarkt valuation exactly, and completing the deal would make him the most expensive signing in Real Madrid's history. For context, Bayern paid Crystal Palace $60 million for him in the summer of 2024. He's nearly tripled his market value in less than a year.
Why Olise makes sense for Madrid
The fit is real. Real Madrid's right flank has lacked a genuine specialist — Franco Mastantuono is talented but almost certainly heading out on loan to build experience — and Olise is precisely the profile that's been missing. He operates on his inverted left foot, cutting inside from the right to create and score, which is exactly the kind of threat that Madrid's system rewards.
At 24, Olise is also entering the phase of his career where this kind of move makes sense. He flashed quality in his debut Bundesliga season, but over the past few months he's reached a different level entirely. The World Cup — kicking off June 11 in Mexico — will only amplify his profile further, with France expected to lean heavily on him.
Bayern won't make this easy
The obstacle is obvious. Bayern Munich don't need the money, and they don't sell crown jewels lightly. Olise is under contract, valued at nine figures, and central to their plans. Any negotiation would be a test of Madrid's resolve — and their wallet.
If Pérez wins Tuesday's election and follows through, Olise's odds of lining up at the Bernabéu next season shorten considerably. Whether Bayern can be moved is the question the market will be pricing in for months.
