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Michael Olise can show Chelsea the sort of winger they’re missing in Bayern Munich meeting

Chelsea wanted a new winger this summer. More than one, actually, and they signed some, adding Estevao, Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho to their squad. Joao Pedro can also operate out wide. This was an area the decision-makers at Stamford Bridge identified as a priority and the Blues spent the best part of £200m addressing it.

 

For all that Estevao, Gittens, Garnacho and Pedro have given Enzo Maresca a variety of options, none are on the level of a winger Chelsea will face in the Champions League this week. Indeed, Michael Olise has the opportunity to show the Blues the sort of wide threat they wish they had.

 

Olise has been Bayern Munich’s best player since making the move to Bavaria from Crystal Palace last year. The French international tallied 12 goals and 15 assists in his first Bundesliga campaign and has started this season by scoring three goals in his opening three league appearances.

 

With Bayern Munich hosting Chelsea on Wednesday, Olise is expected to be a key figure for the German champions. Vincent Kompany has built around the 23-year-old who is given the freedom to drift across the final third, picking up pockets of space from which he can influence the game.

 

“Michael’s numbers aren’t my priority, but I do expect him to get better and make strides,” said Kompany when asked about Olise’s current performance level and his importance to Bayern Munich in the attacking third. “I’ve also seen the development [previously] of such talents, perhaps comparable to Kevin De Bruyne.”

 

That Kompany draws a comparison to De Bruyne says a lot about how highly Olise is rated. He is currently one of the best wingers in the world, but not even that assessment fairly sums up his importance to Bayern Munich. He is their creator-in-chief and the player who makes them tick.

 

This has been accentuated further by the extended absence of Jamal Musiala who is expected to miss the rest of 2025 at the very least after suffering a serious injury at the Club World Cup. Without Musiala, Bayern Munich have leaned on Olise even harder to make things happen.

 

Three games into the new season, Olise is leading Bayern Munich for completed dribbles per 90 minutes (3.0). He is also the Bavarians’ most prolific shot-taker, averaging 5.3 per 90 minutes. Olise can dribble, pass and shoot. He is an all-round threat and a genuine difference-maker at the elite level.

 

It wasn’t so long ago that Chelsea were linked with Michael Olise. The French international was expected to leave Crystal Palace and the Blues were reportedly interested. Olise had a number of offers on the table, but decided to join Bayern Munich instead. Chelsea, meanwhile, have still to find long-term solutions on the wings.

 

Chelsea allowed Noni Madueke to leave the club for Arsenal over the summer. Pedro Neto looked to have taken a step forward during the Club World Cup, but has struggled to carry that form into the Premier League this season. Meanwhile, Gittens and Garnacho are still settling in and Estevao has shown glimpses of quality, but not genuine output.

 

Maresca’s team have made strides forward over the last 12 months or so, culminating in their Club World Cup triumph. However, there’s a sense that Chelsea still lack the attacking invention to truly challenge for the game’s biggest prizes. The wide areas have been scrutinised more than any other.

 

Bayern Munich, on the other hand, have elite level match-winners on either wing. They have Olise on one and Luis Diaz on the other with the Colombian already comfortable in his new surroundings after joining from Liverpool this summer. The pair could put Chelsea to the sword on Wednesday evening.