Olise signs with Nike and revives the Hypervenom, six months after Mbappé's departure

Michael Olise has signed a sponsorship deal with Nike, according to specialist site Footy Headlines. The 24-year-old Bayern Munich forward, who had been playing without an equipment partner until now, joins the American brand several months after Kylian Mbappé’s high-profile departure to On.

The agreement is all the more remarkable given that Olise was an exception in top-level football. Refusing any sponsorship to preserve his freedom to choose his boots, the French international systematically hid the logos on his studs on the pitch. A rare stance for a star of his stature, which he maintained from his Crystal Palace debut through to his arrival in the Bundesliga.

It was precisely this singularity that Nike exploited to convince him. On the pitch, Olise wore almost exclusively the Nike Hypervenom Phantom III, a model whose production ceased in 2018. To continue wearing his favourite boots, he sourced old stock which he had customized by artists. The American brand promised him the commercial return of the Hypervenom range for 2027, and Olise was able to test a prototype as early as last June in training — which sealed the deal.

For Nike, the signing comes at a strategic moment. The Oregon firm has suffered several departures of major profiles in recent months, including Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé. The most symbolic remains that of Mbappé, who ended twenty years of partnership in September to join Swiss brand On. By securing one of the most creative players of his generation and relaunching a cult range, Nike is seeking to send a signal to its competitors in the football equipment market.