There are still many unresolved issues surrounding Bara Sapoko Ndiaye at FC Bayern. Although the 18-year-old is regarded internally as a great talent, the concrete roadmap for his development still raises a number of questions
According to Sky, Ndiaye is expected to train regularly with the professionals under Vincent Kompany from January onwards. It is not even ruled out that the midfielder will get his first minutes in the first team in the future. In principle, the sporting management believes he is capable of taking this step – even if it is clear that competition in central midfield is extremely fierce
Regardless of this, Munich are already thinking about the time after the summer. A permanent transfer of Ndiaye is possible, but a loan could follow directly afterwards. According to the report, Grasshopper Club Zurich, which is closely linked to FC Bayern via the Red&Gold project, is a potential destination. There, the youngster could gain match practice at a higher level without leaving Munich’s sphere of influence
Ndiaye has already impressed in Zurich: he completed a trial training session there in the summer and even played in a test match against Bayern
Eberl, Freund and Sauer see great potential
Ndiaye is highly regarded internally, with Max Eberl, Christoph Freund and campus manager Jochen Sauer unanimously rating him as a very exciting project for the future. It is important to make a clear classification: Ndiaye is not an attacking player in the classic sense, but a box-to-box player for the number eight position, who stands out due to his dynamism, physicality and running strength
Christoph Freund explained to tz: „We have a partnership with the Gambino Stars. He has visited us several times and even trained with the U23s and the first team. Now he will be with us for the next six months to get used to the European level and develop his qualities further.“
The problem: Due to his status as a non-EU player, Ndiaye is not allowed to play for the second team or in the youth academy. This means that competitive matches in a Bayern shirt are hardly possible for the time being. Training at a high level is permitted, but real competitive practice is not – a circumstance that is slowing down his development and forcing the club to find creative solutions
Freund added: „He will initially train with the first team and we will see where he can get some playing time – perhaps in friendly matches with the U23s and U19s. Due to strict FIFA rules, he is not allowed to play competitive matches for the U23s or U19s at this age. The most important thing at the moment is getting used to him. Bara is a very talented player who we want to get to know better.“
FC Bayern is therefore relying on a transitional model: adapting to the pace and intensity of the professional squad, coupled with a medium-term solution via a permanent transfer and a loan. Whether Ndiaye will be able to play a role in the professional squad in the short term or will first be built up via a detour abroad remains to be seen
Bayern certainly believe in the 18-year-old’s talent, but how and where he can develop this potential will be decided in the coming months.