Why Lennart Karl’s Bayern future could hinge on Michael Olise

At the age of 18, Lennart Karl has already established himself as a first-team player for Bayern Munich and as a Germany international.

Following his breakthrough season in 2025/26, the question now is what comes next for the youngster, who faces tough competition for a starting spot at Bayern.

Michael Olise is the preferred option on the right wing, while the central attacking midfield role is earmarked for Jamal Musiala, leaving Karl as a backup option for now.

That may be perfectly fine at this stage of his career, but in the long term, Karl will surely want to establish himself as a regular starter.

In that regard, his future could be closely linked to that of Olise, according to Sport Bild.

Once Bayern finalise a contract extension for Harry Kane, the club are expected to turn their attention to talks with the Frenchman, with the hope of extending his deal until 2032.

Should that happen, Karl would have to consider what his chances of regular playing time would look like, with Musiala already tied down to a long-term contract until 2030.

Top clubs such as Real Madrid have long had the 18-year-old on their radar. Karl himself has admitted in the past that the Spanish giants are his dream club, although earning regular playing time at the Santiago Bernabéu would be no easy task either.

If Bayern fail to extend Olise’s contract and ultimately have to sell him, however, Karl could become more important to the team and potentially establish himself as a regular starter on the right wing.

Alternatively, Sport Bild suggests that Bayern could secure Karl’s long-term future early by extending his contract beyond 2029. That would mean the club already had Olise’s potential long-term replacement in their own ranks before entering negotiations with the French international.

Such a move would put Bayern in a stronger negotiating position with Olise, while also potentially allowing the club to secure a better deal with Karl than if they waited another year.

For now, Bayern’s focus remains on extending Kane’s contract. But with Karl’s future potentially linked to Olise’s, the decisions Bayern make in the coming months could have a major impact on the 18-year-old’s future.