Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano were among the standout performers for the French national team at the World Cup. But according to former Bayern pro Willy Sagnol, the record champions could sign yet another French player in the future.
Willy Sagnol is following the World Cup with particular interest. The former Bayern defender is delighted not only by the French national team’s success but also by the strong performances of Munich pros Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano.
Even though the Équipe Tricolore fell to Spain in the semifinals, the FCB duo made a strong impression at the tournament: “As a former Bayern player, it really warms my heart,” Sagnol explained in an interview with Sport BILD.
But the 49-year-old believes FC Bayern could benefit even more from France’s talent pool in the future.
Sagnol recommends Zaïre-Emery
There’s one player the former Bayern pro would particularly love to see in Munich: Warren Zaïre-Emery of Paris Saint-Germain. “I’m a big fan of Warren Zaïre-Emery. His style is very Bayern-like,” Sagnol gushed.
He’s particularly impressed by the 20-year-old’s mentality. “Zaïre-Emery has a great character, works hard, and has developed very well as a player,” explained the former French national team player.
Despite his young age, the central midfielder is already considered one of Europe’s greatest talents and has won the Champions League twice with PSG.
However, Sagnol also sees a potential opening for other top clubs. Lately, Zaïre-Emery has increasingly had to settle for a reserve role at Paris.
“If he spends too much time on the bench in Paris, he might want to switch clubs,” said Sagnol. At the same time, he added: “That said, he would be very expensive.”
In fact, the French international’s contract runs through 2029. His market value is currently estimated at around 80 million euros.
“Olise looks very happy at FC Bayern”
In addition to Zaïre-Emery, Sagnol also had strong words for Michael Olise, whom he currently considers one of the best players in the world.
In his view, a possible move to Real Madrid is not on the table at the moment. “Olise is still young and can still go to Real in a few years. He knows what he has in Munich: a great environment, fantastic teammates, and an outstanding coach. Olise looks very happy at FC Bayern.”
With that, Sagnol is likely speaking directly to the hearts of Bayern fans. While a transfer for Zaïre-Emery remains a distant prospect for now, the record champions are doing everything they can to keep Michael Olise at the club for the long term.