Michael Olise has informed his France teammates during the World Cup that he wants to leave Bayern Munich and join Real Madrid, according to a report in the French sports daily L’Équipe that has triggered a fresh wave of transfer speculation. The 24-year-old forward, currently in the France squad preparing for the third-place play-off against England, is said to have spoken with Real Madrid players Kylian Mbappé, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Ibrahima Konaté to gather information about the Spanish club. L’Équipe’s Friday edition carried the front-page headline “Michael Olise: Lust auf Madrid” and stated that the player wishes to depart the Bavarian side, though Bayern are opposed to a sale.

The German club’s position, as relayed by multiple outlets including Bild and Sky Sport Germany, is that Olise is not on the market. Bayern president Herbert Hainer has publicly dismissed any approach from Real Madrid, telling the Spanish club’s president Florentino Pérez to “save himself the trouble”. Internally, the club’s leadership, including Uli Hoeneß, is reported to have reconfirmed on Friday that Olise will not be sold this summer. The France international is under contract until 2029, has no release clause, and is valued at €150 million by Transfermarkt. Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano, a close friend of Olise, is said to be lobbying intensively for him to stay in Munich.

Real Madrid have so far maintained distance from the reports. In June, the club issued a statement denying any direct or indirect contact with Olise, his representatives or his entourage. The statement was prompted by earlier media speculation linking the player with a move to the Spanish capital. French media now suggest that Real Madrid are aware of Olise’s interest and could open talks after the World Cup, though no official comment has been made since the latest L’Équipe report. The potential arrival of Olise would add to an already crowded attacking roster and, according to the same French outlet, could raise questions over the futures of Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Junior, though neither claim has been substantiated by the clubs.

In a separate transfer narrative, Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has ruled out an immediate departure from Udinese despite interest from Juventus and other top-five league clubs. The 26-year-old, who kept 10 clean sheets in Serie A last season, told Transfermarkt that his “head is complete at Udinese” and that he is “100 per cent” focused on the Italian club. Okoye’s stance offers a counterpoint to the Olise saga: while one player is actively seeking a move, another is publicly committing to his current side. Okoye is expected to compete for the number one shirt with Nigeria in September’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

For now, the Olise situation remains a stand-off. Bayern’s public and private messaging is unequivocal: the player is not for sale. Olise’s camp has yet to comment directly, and Real Madrid have not revisited their June denial. The next concrete step will be Olise’s return to club duty after France’s World Cup campaign concludes on Saturday, with the third-place match against England providing the immediate sporting focus.