At the beginning of the year, FC Bayern attracted attention with a rather unusual personnel move. Without much advance notice, the Munich club signed 18-year-old Bara Sapoko Ndiaye on loan from Gambinos Stars Africa. A transfer designed less for immediate playing time and more for development and prospects. Now, head coach Vincent Kompany has spoken in more detail about the young midfielder for the first time
At the press conference ahead of the DFB Cup quarter-final against RB Leipzig, Kompany was asked about Ndiaye – and found clear, positive words. „Speed,“ was the Belgian’s initial succinct answer to the question about the talent’s most striking qualities – an attribute that plays a central role in FC Bayern’s playing system and explains the interest of the sporting management
Kompany emphasizes speed and personality
Kompany also made it clear that Ndiaye is in a special situation. Due to the regulations, the midfielder is not allowed to play for the second team in the regional league, which restricts his sporting opportunities. This makes daily work in training all the more important. „A young talent who is not allowed to play for our amateur team,“ said the Bayern coach, assessing the initial situation
Nevertheless, Kompany is satisfied with his development so far. „We are looking forward to his personality. He has shown that he is one of the talents we have in the Bayern youth squad. Things are going well for him,“ said the 39-year-old, adding that it is currently less about short-term playing time and more about adapting, learning and internalizing the processes at the highest level
The leap to Säbener Straße is enormous, especially for a player who has hardly gained any experience in European professional soccer to date. Kompany is therefore consciously focusing on patience and a careful build-up
Eberl explains Bayern’s long-term plan
Chief Sports Officer Max Eberl also put the loan in context. Ndiaye is part of the so-called „Red & Gold Academy“, an international development project of FC Bayern in cooperation with Los Angeles FC and selected partner clubs worldwide. The aim is to identify exceptional talents at an early stage and introduce them to the top European level in a structured manner
„Bara is now the first to really get to the top,“ explained Eberl, emphasizing the model character of the signing. The teenager was deliberately brought to Munich for the second half of the season to get used to the intensity of training, pace and living environment. „He has never played real soccer in a league before,“ said the 51-year-old, making it clear how big the adjustment is for the young African
A quick decision about his future is therefore not on the cards. „After six months, we will decide what the next best step is,“ said Eberl. He did not rule out a sporting fairytale: „Will he even make it at Bayern Munich? We would be immensely happy about that.“
FC Bayern is pursuing a long-term approach with Sapoko Ndiaye – far removed from public pressure and short-term expectations. Kompany’s interim conclusion shows, however, that the first impression is correct.