Bayern Munich has secured the signing of winger Michael Olise from Crystal Palace on a five-year deal, following the activation of his £60 million release clause.
The 22-year-old France Under-21 international, who was born in England, made 90 appearances for Palace over three seasons.
Olise joined Crystal Palace from Reading for £8 million in July 2021. Despite interest from Chelsea and Newcastle United earlier this summer, Olise opted for a move to Germany to work under Bayern’s new manager, Vincent Kompany.
“I’m very happy to now be playing for such a big club – it’s a great challenge and that’s exactly what I was looking for,” said Olise. “I want to prove myself at this level and play my part in ensuring we win as many titles as possible in the coming years.”
Last season, Olise scored 10 goals in 19 Premier League appearances, helping Crystal Palace finish 10th in the league. He has also been selected for the France squad for the upcoming Olympics in Paris.
Steve Parish, Crystal Palace chairman, expressed pride in Olise’s development at the club. “We are hugely proud of what Michael has achieved at Crystal Palace, a club where he has developed greatly as a player. We respect his desire to further test himself at the highest level of world football,” Parish said.
In addition to Olise, Bayern Munich is set to finalize the signing of Fulham’s Joao Palhinha for £42 million plus £4 million in add-ons. The 28-year-old Portugal midfielder nearly joined Bayern last summer, but the deal fell through on deadline day.
England defender Eric Dier has also joined Bayern permanently after being on loan from Tottenham Hotspur since January.
Bayern’s 11-year dominance of the German title was interrupted last season by Bayer Leverkusen, adding extra pressure and motivation for the new signings to help reclaim the title.
