Liverpool are not finished yet. That is the message echoing across Europe as new reports confirm that Arne Slot’s side are now in pole position to complete what could be one of the most defining transfers of the next decade. The player in question is Michael Olise, the 23-year-old French winger currently dazzling at Bayern Munich, a footballer whose rise has been so rapid that even his own teammates are running out of words to describe his brilliance. And now Liverpool, the club that has built a reputation for seeing the future before anyone else, are pushing ahead with plans to bring him to Anfield for a fee expected to reach £100 million.
The story is dramatic because it is not just about signing another footballer. This is about preparing for life after Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian king, the legend of Anfield, has defined a generation of Liverpool success. His goals, his assists, his sheer presence have carried Liverpool through some of the greatest nights in modern history. But football does not stop for anyone, not even for icons, and the time is coming when Liverpool must look beyond Salah. In Olise, they believe they may have found the only player capable of taking that right-wing position and continuing the story.
According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who spoke to Football Insider, Liverpool have edged ahead of Europe’s biggest clubs in the chase for Olise. “It’s more than just Liverpool who will be looking at Michael Olise – his career is just going up and up. All top European clubs will be interested in Michael Olise. He’s not going to be an easy one to get out of Bayern though. He’s under contract until 2029, and Bayern Munich won’t want to lose him. You’re talking huge money to get him out of there. You’d be looking at £100 million for Bayern to sell him.”
Those words underline the scale of this potential deal. Bayern do not want to sell. They signed Olise from Crystal Palace because they saw his ceiling. They gave him a long contract because they wanted to protect his value. They are enjoying his performances because he has exploded into one of the most dangerous attackers in the Bundesliga. And yet, when Liverpool knock on the door, things change. Because Liverpool are not just another club. They are a magnet. They are a brand. They are a home for players who want to be remembered forever.
Olise’s case is fascinating because of how fast everything has happened. Just a few years ago, he was shining at Crystal Palace, seen as one of the most talented youngsters in England but not yet considered among the world’s elite. Then Bayern moved, saw what others did not, and gave him the platform. Now he is not only competing at the top level, he is excelling. Teammates cannot stop praising him. Serge Gnabry, himself a player who knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level, said recently: “He has enormous potential and is one of the best players in the world right now. I don’t know where his limit is! Michael can achieve anything. He can play centrally, keep the ball, and is a good one-on-one player. I didn’t know him that well and didn’t expect it to be like this. Maybe it doesn’t seem that way sometimes, given the way he presents himself, but he has a very good mindset.”
Those words are gold for Liverpool fans. When a player inside Bayern’s dressing room openly calls Olise one of the best in the world already, it means something is special. At 23, he has years ahead of him. He has time to polish his game, add consistency, and grow into the kind of superstar who wins Ballon d’Or votes. That is why Liverpool’s push makes sense. Arne Slot, sporting director Richard Hughes, and the club’s owners know they cannot wait until Salah leaves and then scramble. They must be proactive. They must prepare the ground now, and Olise is top of the list.
The price tag is the only concern. £100 million is no joke. Liverpool have already spent heavily this summer, smashing records with the £125 million signing of Alexander Isak from Newcastle, and also bringing in Florian Wirtz, another generational talent. In total, they have spent around £440 million on squad upgrades. Many thought that was it. Many thought FSG would close the chequebook and let Slot work with what he has. But football is about momentum. If the right player becomes available, you move. Liverpool are not blind. They know Olise could become the crown jewel of their rebuild.
The challenge is persuading Bayern. The German giants are not a selling club by nature. They dominate their league, they expect to compete for Champions League titles, and they do not like being bullied in the market. But even Bayern have limits. £100 million, if Liverpool present it strongly, is money that can be reinvested. Bayern know Olise will attract more interest as time goes on, but they also know the player’s head could turn if Liverpool make their case directly. Every player dreams of the Premier League. Every winger dreams of Anfield. Every attacker dreams of hearing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” as they walk out.
For Olise, the decision could be career-defining. Stay at Bayern, continue to develop, and become a Bundesliga legend. Or join Liverpool, step into Salah’s shoes, and become a global superstar in the most-watched league in the world. The temptation is obvious. The only real question is timing. Will Liverpool push in 2026, as some reports suggest, or will they move sooner if Salah’s situation changes? The truth is, these things move fast. One season, one injury, one transfer request, and everything accelerates.
Liverpool fans are already dreaming. They imagine Olise cutting in from the right, curling shots into the top corner, linking up with Darwin Núñez, with Isak, with Wirtz. They imagine him wearing the famous number 11 shirt, carrying the torch from Salah, and writing a new chapter in the club’s history. They imagine nights at Anfield where Olise is the difference-maker, where his dribbling terrifies defenders, where his calm finishing wins matches. It is fantasy now, but football is built on such fantasies, and sometimes they come true.
There is also the age factor. At 23, Olise fits perfectly into Liverpool’s vision of building a squad for the next era. Slot has young pieces everywhere: Wirtz is only 22, Núñez is 26, Isak is 25, Trent Alexander-Arnold is still just 26, and players like Harvey Elliott and Stefan Bajcetic are even younger. Add Olise to that mix, and you are looking at a team that can dominate not for one or two years, but for the next five to seven. That is the FSG model, and that is why they might be willing to stretch the budget again.
Of course, football fans will debate the money. Is Olise really worth £100 million? The truth is, in today’s market, that figure is almost normal for a player of his profile. He is young, he is proven in two top leagues, he is tied down to a long contract, and he has the potential to get even better. If Liverpool hesitate, someone else will pay. Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester City—they are all watching. Liverpool cannot afford to blink.
The weight of being Salah’s successor is another issue. Whoever takes that role must be ready for the comparisons. Salah is not just a player; he is an icon, a cultural symbol, a legend whose legacy will stand alongside the greatest in Liverpool’s history. Fans will demand the same brilliance. Olise, however, looks like the kind of personality who will not be intimidated. He is quiet, focused, and carries himself with a maturity that belies his age. He does not seek the spotlight, but when the game begins, he takes control. That mentality might be what makes him perfect for Liverpool.
As things stand, Liverpool are in pole position. That does not mean the deal is done, but it does mean they are closer than anyone else. Slot and Hughes will continue to work behind the scenes, testing Bayern’s resolve, planning finances, and preparing the ground. It might take months, it might take until the next window, but the intention is clear. Liverpool want Michael Olise.
And if they get him, the football world will shake. Because this is not just another transfer. This is a statement. This is Liverpool saying to Manchester City, to Real Madrid, to PSG: we are not going anywhere. We are building a dynasty. We are planning for the future. We are making sure that even when Salah’s time comes to an end, the machine keeps moving.
For now, all Liverpool can do is wait and negotiate. But fans can already feel it. Something big is happening. Something historic. And maybe, just maybe, when the time is right, Michael Olise will walk out at Anfield wearing red, ready to take the torch from Salah and carry Liverpool into the next era of greatness.
