Michael Oliseh has become one of the brightest names in the Bayern Munich squad. The German giants signed the French winger from Crystal Palace for 53 million euros in the summer of 2024, and today this amount looks increasingly profitable in view of his performance and influence on the Bavarians' game.
For the first time, Bayern's sporting director Max Eberl has given details about the process of signing the player. He drew attention to both Oliseh's path through various English football academies and the importance of conversations with people who have worked with him.
„Oliseh had a complicated past. He went through several youth academies in England, but that shouldn't always be seen as a problem. Difficulties can also help build a player. When you want to get to know a player, you first have to talk to people who were his teammates or who faced him," explained Eberl.
The then Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner played an important role in assessing the Frenchman. Bayern's sporting director Christoph Freund knew the Austrian specialist well, which allowed the German club to gain valuable information about the qualities and character of the winger.
Eberl revealed that it was Glasner's candor that helped them build a realistic idea of Oliseh's potential.
„When a coach says: „Of course, take him, take him“, you start to doubt. However, Glasner explained to us that Oliseh still has a lot to learn and that he himself needs the player. That's when we realized how highly he values him“, shared the Bavarians' manager.
The conversations with the player himself also left an excellent impression on the German club. According to Eberl, communicating with Oliseh, especially when it comes to football, is a real pleasure.
“We knew that we were attracting a very good left winger who fits the traditions and style of Bayern. However, we could not be sure that he would perform so brilliantly“, admitted the sporting director.
He added that the transfer fee was clear in advance due to the release clause in the contract. According to Eberl, however, Oliseh's development is not only due to his individual qualities, but also to the atmosphere at the club and the support of the team.
The Frenchman's signing is shaping up to be one of Bayern's most successful deals in recent years, and his performance confirms that the management's decision to invest in him was the right one.