The real reason Michael Olise 'was kicked out' of Chelsea's academy has emerged

Michael Olise is one of the best players on the planet right now and his career path could have been much different.

The France winger tore up the 2025-26 season for Bayern Munich, registering 25 goals and 28 assists across all competitions in 52 appearances.

He was named Bundesliga Player of the Season and became only the second player since detailed records began in 2004-05 to hit 15 goals and 15 assists in a single Bundesliga campaign, after Jadon Sancho.

That form has carried straight into the World Cup. Olise has five assists already, the most of any player at the tournament, with France’s feared attack living up to expectations so far to sit among the favourites to win the entire competition.

It could have been very different for Olise as before Reading handed him his debut in 2019, Olise had already been through the academies at Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, and all three let him go.

The Chelsea link resurfaced last month as France's players posed in shirts from the clubs where their journeys began for a pre-World Cup photoshoot, and Olise was pictured in Chelsea blue ahead of the tournament opener against Senegal.

Why Michael Olise was ‘kicked out’ of Chelsea academy

Now the reason he was moved on at Stamford Bridge has been revealed.

Jose Gomes, the former Reading boss who handed Olise his professional debut and now manages Saudi side Al-Khaleej, revealed he was ‘kicked out’ of the Chelsea academy.

"Before he was 14, he was at Arsenal's youth academy, but he didn't adapt," Gomes told AS.

"Chelsea kicked him out for the same reason some tried to do so at Reading: because he didn't attend classes and didn't pay attention to his studies."

Gomes says he fought to keep Olise at Reading when the academy directors wanted him gone, telling them "the boy didn't want to be a mathematician or an engineer, but a soccer player."

Michael Olise was released by Chelsea (Image courtesy of Sean Conlon via The Guardian)

The Manchester City exit was different. "At City, it was because his teammates laughed at him," Gomes explained. "He had weak arms, and English boys were strong. When the fitness coach told them to do push ups, he struggled a lot, and his teammates mocked him. He felt humiliated and left."

Olise is now one of the most in-demand players in Europe and has been made the priority target of Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid this summer.

Bayern are adamant their star man will not be sold at any price amid speculation Madrid could launch a world-record transfer bid to sign the winger.

President Herbert Hainer said: "Olise is not for sale. We are not going to sell him."

Olise is under contract at the Allianz Arena until 2029.