There is no doubt that Michael Olise is one of the world’s best wingers. Chelsea, by contrast, are not one of the world’s best sides, and yet, William Gallas can see Olise moving to Stamford Bridge.
If Vincent Kompany was a surprise selection as manager at Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024, his push to land Olise from Crystal Palace for £50m was just as eye-opening. It’s proved to be a top signing.
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In his two seasons at Bayern Munich, Olise has gone from Premier League talent to one of the world’s best players. The London-born France international has clocked up 95 goals and assists in 106 games.
Alongside the likes of Harry Kane, Luis Diaz and Chelsea’s own Nicolas Jackson, Olise has managed 52 goals and assists during 2025-26 despite only playing 51 times. But where does his long-term future lie?
William Gallas predicts Michael Olise to join Chelsea in the future
Worth far more than £50m now, Olise has a contract at Bayern until the summer of 2029. There is no way that Bayern sell Olise this summer, and with the winger only 24, he’s expected to stay in Germany for now.
Speaking to Bet Victor, however, former Chelsea defender William Gallas has claimed it would not be a surprise if Olise moved to Stamford Bridge at some point in the future, with Xabi Alonso now confirmed.
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“Michael Olise staying at Bayern for another year or two is the right move for his career. He will come back to the Premier League eventually, but the question is when. He may want to go to Spain too.
“Olise is a London boy and was in the Chelsea academy when he was younger, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him come back to them in the future,” Gallas said, recalling Olise’s time in the Blues academy.
Described as “world-class” by John Terry, Olise was linked with a move to Chelsea last summer but Micah Richards believes Olise made the right decision to stay put at Bayern, and the numbers certainly prove it.
How long did Olise spend in Chelsea’s academy?
The winger, who was born in London but qualifies for France through his Mother, was on Chelsea’s books as a kid. After a brief stint at Arsenal, Olise joined Chelsea’s academy in 2009 at the tender age of eight.
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Olise remained at Chelsea until 2016, when he was 15, before Man City plucked him from Cobham. The winger would eventually join Reading at 18, breaking into the Royals’ side, and his career went from there.
Of course, Chelsea will regret the decision not to keep Olise in West London. But it is impossible to say if Olise would be enjoying the career he currently is, had he remained at Chelsea and not gone to Reading.
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