Richard Olise released by Chelsea as brother Michael shines at World Cup

Chelsea have released defender Richard Olise, 21, leaving the younger brother of Bayern Munich and France winger Michael Olise as a free agent. Richard had been part of the Blues’ academy since the age of nine, working his way through the youth ranks before earning a place in Chelsea’s squad for their Conference League fixture against Astana during the 2024/25 campaign.

The release marks a sharp divergence in the fortunes of the two brothers. While Richard searches for a new club, Michael, 24, is among the most talked-about players at this summer’s World Cup, having registered five assists for France as they prepare to face Morocco in the quarter-finals on Thursday, 9 July.

Michael, who joined Bayern Munich from Crystal Palace in 2024, has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid. Club president Florentino Perez suggested he was pursuing a £130 million deal for one of Europe’s top players, with Olise widely identified as the target. Madrid moved quickly to deny any approach, issuing a statement confirming they had held “no direct or indirect contact” with the player, his representatives, or anyone connected to him. Olise is contracted to Bayern Munich beyond this summer.

Despite the contrast in their current situations, Michael says the brothers deliberately keep football out of their conversations. “We never talk about football to be honest,” he told German account MiaSanMIia. “We are both in it so much. We talk about life. When you have a setback, take it as a lesson. Use it as time to grow. Someone always has something worse than what you are experiencing. There is no time to complain. Digest what happened, then move on.”

Michael himself spent time at Chelsea’s academy between 2009 and 2016 before a brief stint at Manchester City. He has since accumulated 42 goals and 54 assists in 107 appearances for Bayern, cementing his reputation as one of the best wide players in Europe.