After Chelsea’s exit: Will Bayern snap up the next Olise? | OneFootball

Michael Olise has quickly become one of the most important players at FC Bayern. Now his last name is making headlines again. While the French international is shining in Munich, his younger brother Richard Olise is unexpectedly facing a fresh start.

Chelsea FC officially announced on Wednesday that Richard Olise will be leaving the club. His expiring contract will not be renewed.

The 20-year-old is one of several youth players who no longer have a future with the Blues as part of a restructuring of the youth academy. This marks the end of an exceptionally long stint at the top London club for the young defender.

Olise joined the renowned Cobham Academy when he was just nine years old. He spent more than eleven years at Chelsea without, however, making the definitive breakthrough into the first team.

While Michael Olise is now among Europe’s best attacking players and regularly makes a difference at FC Bayern, his younger brother’s development has been significantly more difficult.

Although Richard Olise was part of the first-team squad in the Conference League during the 2024/25 season, he never made an appearance in a competitive match for the pros.

He spent the majority of his playing time with Chelsea FC’s U21 team, where he played a total of 40 competitive matches.

Bayern could be keeping an eye on the situation

Photo: IMAGO

Whether Richard Olise will now be of interest to FC Bayern remains to be seen. One thing is clear, however: the name is likely to attract attention at Säbener Straße. After all, the Munich club made one of the most successful transfers of recent years with Michael Olise.

The French international immediately became a key player after his move in 2024 and is now one of the faces of Vincent Kompany’s team.

What’s particularly intriguing is his brother’s profile. Richard Olise is a trained defender and versatile. He can play both as a center-back and as a right-back. It is precisely this versatility that makes him attractive to many clubs.

Since he is available on a free transfer, he could be particularly attractive to clubs looking to offer young talents opportunities for development.

A shared future in Munich?

The Olise family’s story also shows that an early setback doesn’t necessarily mean the end of a career.

Michael Olise, too, was cut from the squad during his youth at both Chelsea and later at Manchester City. He subsequently worked his way up to the top of European soccer via Reading and Crystal Palace.

Richard Olise now finds himself at a similar turning point.

It currently seems rather unlikely that FC Bayern will actually make a move. The Munich club’s focus is currently on the signings of Ismael Saibari and Nathaniel Brown.

Nevertheless, the situation is likely to be closely monitored. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time that brothers have worn the Bayern Munich jersey together.

A shared right flank featuring Michael and Richard Olise would undoubtedly be appealing. For now, however, this scenario remains a distant prospect. For Richard Olise, the priority is finding the next step in his career.