Mbappe Recruits Olise for Real Madrid While Mourinho Blocks Rodri Deal

Michael Olise wants out of Bayern Munich. Kylian Mbappe is doing the convincing. And the price tag Uli Hoeneß has already publicly rejected sits somewhere north of €200 million.

That is the spine of a transfer saga that has hijacked Real Madrid’s summer, according to a Sport Bild report published on July 23. The 24-year-old French winger has informed his France teammates of his desire to join Los Blancos, and his close friend Mbappe has spent the past three months selling him on the move. There has been no contact between Bayern and Real Madrid. Olise is under contract until 2029 with no release clause. And Hoeneß, Bayern’s supervisory board patriarch, has already declared that even a nine-figure fee would not be enough to shift him.

Mbappe’s Pitch Inside the France Camp

The recruitment drive started during the World Cup, where France were knocked out in the semi-finals by Spain. Mbappe, the reigning World Cup Golden Boot winner, used the tournament downtime to make the case to Olise in person, working the phones and the dressing room to convince his national teammate that Madrid was the right next step.

Mbappe told the former Crystal Palace attacker how the pair would link up on the pitch at the Santiago Bernabéu, and painted a picture of life in Madrid, the restaurants, the warm weather, the squad around him. “Olise shares a close friendship with the World Cup Golden Boot winner,” Sport Bild reported. “This friendship is largely responsible for his desire to move to Madrid right now.” Mbappe is described in the German paper as “a strong advocate” for the transfer.

Why France’s Semi-Final Exit Changed Everything

France’s loss to Spain in the last four reset Olise’s priorities. Per the same Sport Bild reporting, his desire to win a major trophy has intensified sharply, and he believes his odds of lifting the Champions League are higher at Real Madrid than at Bayern, who exited at the same stage last season under Vincent Kompany.

That shift matters because Olise is not actively agitating for a transfer. He has not submitted a formal transfer request. He has not spoken to Bayern’s hierarchy. And according to a separate report on July 24, he is unlikely to force his exit without that conversation happening first.

He is open to staying at the Allianz Arena if Kompany and the club’s bosses can convince him that their project will compete for the Champions League in the near term. Bayern’s supervisory board will need answers ready when the conversation comes.

Bayern’s €200 Million Refusal and Hoeneß’s Red Line

Bayern’s position is hardened by both contract and culture. Olise is tied down through 2029 with no buyout clause, a structure Vincent Kompany publicly endorsed earlier this year when he predicted the 24-year-old would become “one of the best in the world.”

The financial picture is equally firm. Spanish outlets have floated a figure of €200 million-plus as Florentino Pérez’s opening position, but Hoeneß has already drawn a red line in interviews, declaring no fee would tempt Bayern into a sale. That leaves Olise’s path to Madrid running through a direct request to the club’s bosses.

• €200M+, Pérez’s reported maximum offer Bayern would still reject.
• 2029, Olise’s contract expiry at the Allianz Arena.
• 24, Olise’s age at the time of the Sport Bild report.
• 0, release clauses written into Olise’s Bayern contract.

Rodri’s Madrid Move Dies at Mourinho’s Tactical Door

While Mbappe tries to drag Olise to the Bernabéu, José Mourinho is quietly killing the Rodri deal. The Real Madrid manager, who returned to the club earlier this year, is rebuilding the side around a more direct, pragmatic model that does not need the kind of possession-dominant, controlling midfielder the Manchester City captain embodies.

Spanish paper AS reported on July 24 that Madrid’s executives have formally denied any contact with City, going so far as to reach out to their Etihad counterparts to reject the rumour. The reaction, sources at Valdebebas told AS, was prompted by “repeated use of Madrid’s name” in transfer coverage with no foundation.

That denial is unusual in tone. Clubs typically ignore speculative links. Madrid actively disputing one signals either genuine disinterest or an internal policy decision to close the door, a choice that lines up with the Portuguese coach’s tactical blueprint for the new season.

The club continues to hold Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, in the “highest regard,” AS noted, but the tactical fit does not exist under the current coaching setup.

Inside Valdebebas: The Footballing Model Mourinho Is Building

Mourinho’s project, as described by AS, is “less possession-oriented and less dependent on the kind of cerebral, controlling midfield presence Rodri provides.” The Portuguese coach wants vertical transitions, set-piece threat, and a more compact middle block. Rodri is built for the opposite.

less possession-oriented and less dependent on the kind of cerebral, controlling midfield presence Rodri provides

That mismatch is the real story behind Madrid’s denial. AS framed the situation bluntly: “The situation did Rodri no favours.” Mourinho’s Madrid is moving in a different direction, and the Ballon d’Or winner is not in the picture that direction is heading. Madrid’s summer of free moves, including the Konate and Bernardo Silva additions at zero cost, has reshaped the squad’s spine without needing Rodri.

Guardiola’s Family Veto Blocks Italy’s Rebuild

Carlo Ancelotti remains in the frame for Italy, but the federation’s first choice has fallen through. Pep Guardiola has turned down the Azzurri job, citing a promise to his family that he would stay in Barcelona after more than a decade away from home.

Gazzetta dello Sport reported on July 23 that Paolo Maldini and Leonardo were dispatched by the Italian federation to present a project that would put Guardiola “at the centre of everything.” The offer reportedly included the freedom to reshape Italy’s youth development and build a long-term playing identity. Guardiola did not dismiss the proposal outright, but the family commitment proved decisive.

Italy’s timeline on the rejection:

1. Early July, Maldini and Leonardo fly to meet Guardiola in Barcelona.
2. Mid-July, Project presentation including youth team overhaul.
3. Late July, Guardiola declines, family considerations cited.
4. Next, Federation expected to pivot to Ancelotti as Plan A.

Financial terms did not bridge the gap either. The federation had reportedly structured a €5 million-per-year package, around £4.3 million, but other outlets suggested Guardiola’s camp floated a €20 million asking price, double that offer. Neither number moved the conversation. Guardiola has promised his family he would stay in Barcelona, and that promise is non-negotiable.

Around the Transfer Wire: Done Deals

The summer’s confirmed moves are stacking up fast across Europe’s major leagues.

• Casemiro to Inter Miami: The Brazilian midfielder completed his move from Manchester United on a deal running through the 2027 MLS season with an option to June 2029, joining Lionel Messi in Florida. The MLS announcement on July 23 confirmed the four-year pact.

I want to help Leo.

• Foden extends at Manchester City: The 26-year-old midfielder signed a new four-year contract on July 22, tying him to the Etihad until at least 2030 with a 12-month option. He called the project “unique” and pointed to working again with Enzo Maresca.
• Barcelona sign Adeyemi: The Catalan club confirmed the German forward’s arrival from Borussia Dortmund on July 23. The package is worth €22 million up front plus €7 million in add-ons, with a sell-on clause retained. He signed a five-year deal. The full structure is laid out in futbolalinstante’s Adeyemi deal breakdown.
• Arsenal sign Tzolis: The Greece international winger joined from Club Brugge for £34 million on a five-year contract on July 23, becoming Mikel Arteta’s third signing of the window. The fee is a Belgian Pro League record.

Iraola’s Liverpool Already Lines Up Its First Raid

Andoni Iraola touched down in the United States this week with Liverpool’s pre-season tour underway, and the new head coach has already identified his first transfer priority. Iraola, who replaced Arne Slot at Anfield on a two-year contract in June, is pushing the club to sign Bournemouth winger Rayan, the Brazilian attacker who joined the Cherries from Vasco da Gama in January 2026.

According to The Athletic, Rayan scored five goals after his mid-season arrival and is now Liverpool’s top target with pre-season friendlies approaching. Iraola knows the player from their Bournemouth overlap and is reportedly pushing for an immediate reunion. The fee is expected to be significant, given Bournemouth’s recent valuation of their young Brazilian.

Liverpool’s new manager made the squad-building need obvious in his first sit-down with club media, saying “we need to sign players,” and the first name on his list is one he has already coached. The club’s official appointment release in June framed Iraola as the right man to reset a squad that fell short in its Premier League title defence under Slot.

Liverpool’s first Iraola signing will not be the last. The same goes for Mbappe’s pursuit of Olise, Mourinho’s quiet veto on Rodri, and Guardiola’s family-driven exit from Italy’s reckoning. Europe’s summer transfer machine is running hot, and the stories breaking this week will shape the season that opens in three weeks.