Marc Cucurella and Armando Broja, teammates at Chelsea, get together following Spain’s victory over Albania yesterday.

Not pay was the reason Michael Olise selected Bayern Munich for Champions League football

Michael Olise’s decision to join Bayern Munich was revealed to us late last week, and although it isn’t official yet, everything seems to be set in stone.

Olise’s decision to choose the Bundesliga powerhouses over Chelsea (and Manchester United) was first said to be driven mostly by salary structures and other financial considerations, but more subsequent reports have suggested otherwise. Select your story!

The 22-year-old was reportedly persuaded by the “pull” of Champions League football after hearing nothing but positive things about the young winger’s potential to be a major member of the team under new head coach Vincent Kompany, according to The Telegraph. At the moment, neither Chelsea nor Manchester United are able to provide Champions League football; in contrast to United, we are only able to provide Conference-level Champions League football.

Not because Bayern isn’t paying Olise enough; rather, it serves as a stark reminder that we need to succeed on the field in addition to pushing the boundaries of sustainability and financial accountability. The days of simply going out and getting the best of the best may be gone, but if we continue to linger in the middle of the table, elite prospects will also choose other routes. Enzo Maresca must improve upon his sixth-place result from the previous year.