Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has heaped praise on new signing Bara Ndiaye, describing the Senegalese midfielder as one of the most talented players at the club.
The Bavarian giants added only one player during the winter transfer window, a move that initially flew under the radar for many German supporters.
Bara Sapoko Ndiaye joined Bayern from the Gambinos Stars Africa academy and was, according to early reports, immediately integrated into the first-team setup.
Speaking during his pre-match press conference ahead of the DFB-Pokal clash against RB Leipzig, Kompany was asked to share his assessment of the young midfielder and did not hold back in his praise.
“He’s a player from our Red and Gold Academy. He’s a very fast midfielder, a young talent,” he said.
Kompany went on to outline Bayern’s plans for Ndiaye’s development, stressing the importance of a gradual transition into European football.
“He’s not yet ready to play with our reserve team. But he could have an adaptation period of four to five months with the first team. From what I’ve seen in training, he’s shown himself to be one of the most talented players we currently have in our youth team,” the coach explained.
Bayern’s sporting director, Max Eber,l also shed light on the nature of the signing, describing it as a strategic move rather than a conventional transfer.
“It’s not a typical signing. He comes from the Gambinos Academy, where we have several players.”
Eberl added that patience will be key in managing the teenager’s progress.
“He just turned 18 and first needs to adapt to European football. We’ve loaned him out for six months, and then we’ll see in the summer what the best next step is for him,” he noted.
