Oulai caught the attention of a wider audience during Ivory Coast's 2-1 defeat to Germany at the 2026 World Cup, where he was one of the standout performers despite his side's loss.
Described in some quarters as Ivory Coast's answer to Andrés Iniesta, the central midfielder has drawn comparisons for his technical quality and composure under pressure.
Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Chelsea are also named as interested parties. Bayern Munich were linked earlier in the year but those reports did not harden into anything concrete.
Oulai joined Trabzonspor from Ligue 2 side SC Bastia last summer for €5.5m and made 25 appearances in the Süper Lig during 2025-26, contributing two goals and four assists. He has earned 11 caps for Ivory Coast and is firmly established in their starting line-up.
Trabzonspor are in no hurry to sell. The club have made clear they will not rush into a decision and plan to wait until after the World Cup concludes before evaluating any formal offers. Their current asking price stands at €50m — a sum that would represent one of the largest fees ever paid for a Süper Lig player.
For RB Leipzig specifically, signing Oulai at that figure would set a new club record. Xavi Simons currently holds that distinction, having cost exactly €50m when he arrived from Paris Saint-Germain.
Oulai's contract with the Turkish club runs until 2030, giving Trabzonspor a strong negotiating position.