With the signing of Michael Olise in the summer of 2024, FC Bayern landed a real stroke of luck. What was still accompanied by scepticism at the time is now considered one of the best transfers in the club’s recent history. Now Uli Hoeneß has revealed who was largely behind the deal
According to the honorary president, the transfer was primarily down to Max Eberl, who drove the signing forward with great conviction – and also took responsibility for it
„It was a decision that basically went back to Max,“ Hoeneß explained in an interview with DAZN. What is particularly remarkable is that Olise was not yet a household name within the club at the time
The management had deliberately placed their trust in Eberl’s assessment. Christoph Freund and the coaching staff at the time were also involved, but the decisive initiative came from the current sporting director
Risk becomes a direct hit
FC Bayern transferred around €50 million to Crystal Palace at the time – a sum that was initially viewed critically. Today, these doubts almost seem like a relic from another era
Olise has developed rapidly in Munich and is now one of the best wingers in the world. His current figures speak for themselves: 51 goals in 48 competitive matches underline his enormous influence on Bayern’s attacking play
The Frenchman has long been more than just a key player: his technique, creativity and goalscoring threat have had a lasting impact on the record champions‘ game
His performances have not gone unnoticed internationally either, and Olise is now even being talked about in the wider circle of Ballon d’Or candidates – proof of his extraordinary development
Trust in the decision-makers pays off
In this context, Hoeneß also made it clear how important it is to give managers the freedom to make decisions. „That’s exactly why you have managers: so that they can and are allowed to make decisions,“ emphasized the 74-year-old
The case of Olise shows impressively how much this trust can pay off. For Max Eberl, it is also an important argument on his own behalf – and proof that his squad planning is bearing fruit in the long term.