Ismael Saibari was expected to immediately bolster Bayern’s offense. But despite Musiala’s absence and plenty of playing time, the expensive new signing is still waiting for his breakthrough.
The situation couldn’t really be more favorable for Ismael Saibari. Jamal Musiala remains sidelined for FC Bayern—precisely in that central attacking position where the summer signing feels most at home. Nevertheless, the Moroccan has so far failed to secure a permanent spot in the starting lineup.
Expectations were high following his transfer from PSV Eindhoven. The Munich club invested around 50 million euros in Saibari, who signed a contract through 2031. During his introduction, Max Eberl raved about his physicality, presence, speed, and versatility, noting that Saibari brings “something special” to the team. It was precisely these qualities that were supposed to make Bayern’s offense even more unpredictable.
At times, it even looked as though Saibari might actually be able to capitalize on the opening that had emerged. After his goals against Union and Augsburg, he seemed to be establishing himself as a serious option for the number 10 position. But since then, his progress has stalled again.
Against Viking Stavanger, Saibari entered the game at halftime and was later substituted out again. Against RB Leipzig, he started once more but remained relatively inconspicuous. He also played in the number 10 role in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal, but was barely able to make his mark on the game. As a result, his performances have recently drawn significant criticism.
In Freiburg, Saibari is once again lacking those decisive moments
In the 3-1 win in Freiburg, Saibari got his chance this time just over an hour into the game. And unlike in some previous matches, the 25-year-old made an immediate impact. Right after coming on as a substitute, he had a dangerous shot on goal but was denied by Freiburg goalkeeper Mio Backhaus. Later, he had two more good chances—again without scoring.
That, in particular, is the problem right now. Saibari gets his chances, but too rarely manages to turn them into a decisive impact on the game. In Freiburg, he could have decided the match during a phase when Bayern were coming under increasing pressure. Instead, the game remained tense well into stoppage time before Michael Olise scored the 3-1 goal.
(function(){
var iframe=document.getElementById(‚polls-fcbinside‘);
if(!iframe)return;
window.addEventListener(‚message‘,function(e){
if(e.source!==iframe.contentWindow)return;
var d=e.data||{};
if(d.type===’FOOTY_WIDGET_HEIGHT’&&typeof d.height===’number‘){iframe.style.height=d.height+’px‘;}
});
})();
For a player in whom FC Bayern has invested around 50 million euros, expectations are correspondingly high. Saibari wasn’t signed as a long-term development project, but as a player who is expected to immediately add quality to Bayern’s offense. With Musiala out, the very position where he can best showcase his strengths is now open.
So far, however, he hasn’t taken advantage of this opportunity consistently enough. He shows promise, has moments of brilliance, and puts in a lot of effort. But he hasn’t yet made the leap from a versatile role player to a reliable starter.
After just a few months, this need not be a final verdict on the transfer. The past few weeks, however, show that despite his high transfer fee and favorable competitive situation, Saibari still has some way to go before he can secure a permanent spot at FC Bayern. Freiburg was the latest example of this: The chance for a truly standout performance was there—but he didn’t take it.