Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez clearly wants to make his mark
Real Madrid are reportedly stepping up their pursuit of Bayern Munich star Michael Olise, with Florentino Pérez leading the way for the superstar.
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Los Blancos kept their Champions League hopes alive by beating Manchester City in the last eight, giving them hope that this season can still be a success under interim manager Álvaro Arbeloa.
But there is still a recognition among the club’s management that major changes in the squad are necessary for them to reassert themselves as Europe’s best team.
Pérez plans incredible Michael Olise raid
Real Madrid greatly admire Olise, and he is also on Liverpool’s shortlist as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah.
The 24-year-old joined Bayern from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2024 for around £50 million, and he has established himself as one of the German club’s most important players.
Olise has recorded an astonishing 15 goals and 27 assists in 38 appearances across all competitions this season and looks set to play a leading role for France in this year’s World Cup.
According to respected journalist Christian Falk, Real Madrid president Pérez is the driving force behind an attempt to sign Olise, with a transfer on his radar in the summer.
If the rest of this season does not go well for Los Blancos, a transfer is considered more likely, especially as Rodrygo is currently unavailable due to a long-term injury.
Falk suggests that, interestingly, Bayern would not immediately reject an offer if it is in the region of €160 million, although they ideally want to keep Olise.
Whether Real Madrid are willing to go that high remains to be seen, but a big sale would make it more likely.
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Sunderland make bid for Real Madrid star
Meanwhile, a report claims that Sunderland have made a €15 million offer for Real Madrid midfielder Thiago Pitarch.
The 18-year-old has had a breakthrough and delivered an excellent performance in the win over Man City on Wednesday night.
But it is claimed that the “offer” is “under consideration” at the Bernabéu, giving Sunderland hope that they can land what would be a fantastic summer bargain.
The dilemma facing Real Madrid is that while Pitarch is clearly an exciting talent, he could fall down the hierarchy once their injury list subsides.
It’s also no secret that Real Madrid are planning to sign at least one new high-profile midfielder in the summer.
With this in mind, it is possible that Pitarch will be demoted back to Real Madrid’s B-team next season despite his breakthrough in the first team this year.
However, it is worth noting that the claims of an “offer” have not been widely reported, so they must be taken with a grain of salt for the time being.
Los Blancos can bring back Serie A star
In other news, Real Madrid are reportedly considering bringing back Lazio centre-back Mario Gila, who is likely to be on his way this summer, after rejecting contract offers from the Italian club.
Aston Villa and Chelsea are also said to be interested in the 25-year-old.
But Los Blancos have an advantage in the match. They put in a 50 percent resale clause when they sold him to Lazio in 2022, and can therefore get him back at a discounted price.
