“He should be earning €45 million!”: legend compares Michael Olise with Diego Maradona and calls for an immediate contract extension
Michael Olise is still among the more averagely paid stars at Bayern Munich. The record champions should change that quickly.
Michael Olise was back to his best in Bayern Munich's 6:1 Bundesliga win over RB Leipzig on Saturday. It was his response to the "incredibly stupid" mistake he made in the Champions League match at Viking Stavanger, where he let himself be provoked and was sent off. Bayern then let victory slip away in Norway while down to ten men.
"Yes, he made a mistake in Stavanger. But did you see that in the stadium on Saturday? He was on the receiving end of three or four hard challenges in the first half and didn't even wave his arms in protest. I'd say he's learnt his lesson," said Germany's record appearance holder Lothar Matthäus at an event held by his sponsor Interwetten.
Matthäus also defended the opponents who resort to fouls and provocation against Olise. "Even a Diego Maradona could not be stopped by fair means," said Matthäus, one of the few players to keep Maradona fairly well in check on several occasions during his playing career.
How much does Michael Olise currently earn at Bayern Munich?
For a time, Matthäus and Maradona were regarded as Serie A's best players, and their rivalry became a friendship. Now Matthäus is comparing Bayern's Olise with one of the best players in football history.
That is why Matthäus wants Bayern to extend Olise's contract, preferably "immediately", on significantly improved terms. Olise reportedly earns around €13.5 million a year, making him one of Bayern's more moderately paid players.
Bayern's expensive squad is part of the reason. Olise also arrived from Crystal Palace for a €53 million transfer fee in 2024 as a promising talent. He has since become a world-class player, and Matthäus believes he could win the Ballon d'Or this year.
How Bayern could fund Michael Olise's contract extension
Olise has increased his market value by "three and a half or four times" in recent years, according to Matthäus. "If you adjusted his salary to his market value, he would now have to earn 45, 46, 47 million!" Matthäus then conceded with a smile: "Uli Hoeneß will surely say now that I don't understand numbers. And no, Bayern don't have to pay 45 million, but I would extend his contract immediately by two or three years and give him a few million more."
Matthäus also explained how Bayern could fund the pay rise, even though board member for sport Max Eberl is supposed to reduce squad costs: "Manuel Neuer will probably be gone next year, so Bayern will save 20 million in salary. You can give half of that to Olise and still save ten million euros," said Matthäus.
Where do contract talks between Olise and Bayern stand?
An early extension would give Bayern another advantage. "Even if he then doesn't honour the contract, Bayern will at least get a high transfer fee. Because the longer the contract runs, the more I can get in a transfer fee. So extend it, add ten million, not a bad deal for Bayern and Olise is happy," said Matthäus. Bayern's hierarchy have already thought of that themselves.
Bayern wanted to extend Ulisses' contract before the World Cup. They are said to have stepped up their efforts again recently and are reportedly prepared to pay around €25 million in salary plus bonuses. The Frenchman, however, sees no reason to enter talks yet. His current deal runs until 2029, and Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are interested in him.
