According to a report by London Evening Standard on Friday October 16, 2026, Michael Olise, a winger for Bayern Munich, is allegedly more interested in joining Real Madrid than returning to the Premier League, which could be bad news for Arsenal.

If the French international does decide to leave Germany, he reportedly prefers to join the Spanish giants.

Following his stellar play for Crystal Palace, Olise has caught the eye of Arsenal. After some time, the winger joined Bayern Munich, where he has maintained his status as a top-tier offensive threat in Europe. Multiple top clubs have expressed interest in him as his reputation continues to rise.

His long-term future with Bayern is uncertain, though, which could open the door for interested teams. According to reports, the German champions are having trouble persuading Olise to sign a new contract. Speculation about a potential departure has been fueled by that situation.

The 24-year-old's transfer to Real Madrid was considered during the summer of 2016. Bayern flat-out rejected the approach and were not ready to let go of the attacker. If his contract situation is still unresolved, the Spanish club may now have a better chance of signing him.

As they keep fighting for big domestic and European titles, Arsenal are eager to bolster their offensive options. An asset to Mikel Arteta's team, Olise is a creative thinker with good dribbling skills and a goal-scoring knack. The Gunners' attack could be given a new dimension by his technical quality.

His alleged love for Real Madrid, though, is a major setback for the north London side. It may be tough for Arsenal to persuade him to play for them again in England if he is dead set on moving to Spain.

Bayern is still eager to hold on to one of their key attackers. Both Olise's professional aspirations and the conclusion of contract negotiations will determine the likelihood of any transfer.

Arsenal might keep an eye on the situation, but Real Madrid's current situation could make their plans more difficult.