Real Madrid are apparently getting their chequebook out again, and this time the name on the page is Michael Olise. According to reports, the Spanish giants are prepared to launch a €150m bid for the Bayern Munich midfielder if Florentino Pérez is re-elected as club president. So yes, the fate of one of Europe's most exciting young players is at least partly dependent on a Spanish presidential vote. Football, eh.
Olise has had quite the journey over the last couple of years. From lighting up the Premier League with Crystal Palace to making the move to Bayern Munich, the 22-year-old Franco-English winger has consistently shown he is genuinely world class. Pace, creativity, goals from nowhere — he has the lot. It is not hard to see why Real Madrid are sniffing around.
What makes this story even more interesting is the suggestion that José Mourinho, who is being considered as a potential new Madrid manager, has already been watching Olise. Now there is a combination that would get people talking. Mourinho building a team around a player of Olise's flair would be quite the sight, though whether the Special One would actually let him express himself freely is another conversation entirely.
From a pure football standpoint, Olise at the Bernabéu makes a lot of sense. Madrid have been crying out for a consistent wide threat who can both create and score, and at €150m they would be getting someone in the prime years of his development. Bayern will not want to sell, of course, but when Real Madrid come knocking with that kind of money it tends to have a funny effect on even the most stubborn of clubs.
For neutral fans it is an exciting prospect. For Bayern supporters it is a nightmare in the making. And for this Manchester United fan, it is just another reminder of what happens when a club actually has its off-field house in order and can move decisively in the transfer market. Not bitter at all.
Let me know your thoughts.