Would Michael Olise be the perfect Mo Salah replacement at Liverpool?

Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise has carried on from where he left off last season. His match-winning performance in his side’s Champions League opening game against Norwegian outfit Bodø/Glimt was an absolute joy to watch.

Since moving to the Bundesliga ahead of the 2024/25 season, Olise has established himself as one of the best wingers in the world. Due to his stellar performances for Bayern Munich, he was included in the French squad for the 2026 World Cup and helped his national team reach the semi-finals. Since joining Bayern from English side Crystal Palace, his goal contributions have skyrocketed along with his transfer value. The Frenchman has definitely grabbed eyeballs throughout Europe since his move to the Bavarian giants, attracting interest from other European elites. Real Madrid inquired about him this summer, with Manchester City and Liverpool also interested in bringing him back to the Premier League. 

As for Liverpool’s interest, after their talismanic winger Mohamed Salah left at the end of last season, the Reds made several bids for a few notable Premier League right-wingers but couldn’t reach a deal with any of them. As a result, Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola is currently going for stop-gap options like deploying Rio Ngumoha, Víctor Muñoz, and even Cody Gakpo on the right.

But a permanent solution is needed in the form of an elite left-footed winger. Having already brought in Olise’s compatriot Bradley Barcola this season, and having two top strikers in Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké, could Olise be the long-term replacement Liverpool need to replace Salah?

We saw how Salah became one of the most prolific forwards in the Premier League over the past decade. His last season at Anfield was fairly underwhelming as per his incredibly high standards, but until last term he had been one of the standout players in the league. He had a stellar 2024/25 campaign, for which he swept up all individual awards in the league while helping Liverpool to their 20th league title. He produced mind-boggling numbers that season, scoring 29 goals and bagging 18 assists in 38 league games. His goal contributions in all competitions were an incredible 34 goals and 23 assists in 52 games that season.

If we now take a look at Olise’s numbers since joining Bayern Munich, in the 2024/25 season he made a grand debut with 20 goals and 23 assists in 55 games. But his first season in Bavaria was just a preview of what was to come. He further raised his level in 2025/26 with 22 goals and 31 assists in 52 games, helping Bayern secure a domestic double and reach the Champions League semi-finals.

The Frenchman has become a part of one of the most lethal attacks in Europe alongside Harry Kane and Luis Díaz. Apart from Salah, there’s no right-winger in world football who has produced numbers comparable to his in the past few seasons. He can definitely be a Salah successor, though we may need to look at the whole picture, which may involve other factors as well. 

Olise’s performances in the Premier League 

Olise’s numbers prior to his move to Bayern were decent, but not exceptional, although there could be an argument there that he played for Crystal Palace, who aren’t the strongest team in the Premier League.

Prior to moving to the German club, Olise produced ten goals and six assists in 19 games for Palace in his last season at Selhurst Park. Unfortunately, he couldn’t play the entire season, as he suffered from a recurring hamstring injury that kept him out for a long duration. Nevertheless, Olise was already viewed as a player with high potential even at Selhurst Park, but the Bayern move catapulted him to elite levels. 

Olise is well aware of the physical demands of the Premier League and is used to playing 50+ games a season with Bayern, while competing in domestic competitions as well as the Champions League. 

Could Liverpool’s style of play under Iraola suit him? 

Liverpool have a new head coach this season in Andoni Iraola, and he likes to play an attacking style of football, similar to what Vincent Kompany has been doing at Bayern Munich. Iraola likes his players to press relentlessly and demands defensive support from his attackers. Olise can definitely provide that kind of service along with the massive goal contributions.

Moreover, if we look at how Salah operated, he played wide, ran behind opposition defenders, cut inside and scored or provided assists to the other forwards. Olise is quick, has a wicked left foot, can trick defenders with feints and dribbles, and unleash a curling shot in the top corner, not dissimilar to how Salah used to play for Liverpool.

Of course, both players are different as well: Olise has more trickery up his sleeve in terms of dribbling past defenders, while Salah is a more elite finisher. Olise’s strength lies in providing assists, sometimes also unlocking low blocks with his balls. His creative output would be particularly helpful for Liverpool, who now have two top-quality strikers in Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké. He could also be a menace on the counter with another pacy winger in Bradley Barcola on the other side. 

Could Liverpool afford another expensive forward? 

Liverpool have already spent huge money on Hugo Ekitiké (€95 million), Alexander Isak (€145 million), and Bradley Barcola (€125 million). Having already spent expansively to revamp their front line, I’m not sure if they can afford to spend almost €150 million on just one attacker, which as things stand is what Olise would cost them at the minimum, and that’s before the wages he would demand.

Mo Salah came to Liverpool on a steal deal of €42 million from Roma, but that was about a decade ago and the transfer market is highly inflated now. Olise’s current contract at Bayern ends in June 2029, leaving the Bavarians with two full years’ worth of leverage after the ongoing season, though they may agree to move him on by next year if he refuses to extend his stay at the Allianz Arena.

Considering the ridiculously inflated nature of the transfer market at the moment, as well as Bayern’s relatively strong position, Liverpool will need to match a high transfer fee again if they wish to land Olise in the near future.

Conclusion

Mohamed Salah departed Liverpool arguably as the best-ever right-winger in Premier League history, breaking several records and creating new ones. Looking at all the top right-wingers playing in Europe right now, there’s only Michael Olise who can produce that kind of output Salah did on a consistent basis.

While we do have the likes of Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, and Bryan Mbeumo, who have had a few good seasons as well, they haven’t consistently provided the kind of numbers that Salah did for Liverpool. It’s not just about the numbers either; Salah also had the ability to inspire the young players in the team with his discipline and work ethic. While we don’t know if Olise possesses those qualities already, that is something that can be developed as a player gets more experience, and Olise himself is very young. 

For me, there’s no doubt that Olise would be an ideal Salah replacement for Liverpool and transform their new-look attack into one of the most feared front lines in Europe. However, as mentioned earlier, the transfer fee, the player’s preference, and interest from other big clubs could prove to be a hindrance for the Merseyside Reds. Things could get interesting if Olise were to refuse signing an extension and push for a move back to the Premier League.

Only time will tell where Olise ends up if he decides to leave Bayern. But for now, he looks tailor-made to take up that right-wing position vacated by Liverpool’s Egyptian king.