FC Bayern’s roster for the upcoming season is largely set: The spot in central midfield vacated by Leon Goretzka’s departure will go to Bara Sapoko Ndiaye (18), whom the Munich club will sign on a permanent basis.
In early January, FC Bayern—almost unnoticed at the time—initially signed Bara Sapoko Ndiaye, who had just turned 18, on loan from Gambinos Stars Africa through June 30. The soccer academy in The Gambia partners with Red & Gold Football, the talent development joint venture between FC Bayern and Los Angeles FC. As a result, no transfer fee was paid at the time.
Had the midfielder not suffered a capsular injury in March—which set him back by several weeks—he likely would have made his Bundesliga debut under Vincent Kompany sooner than on Matchday 29, when he came on as a substitute in the 84th minute of the 5-0 away win at FC St. Pauli. Ndiaye also saw action in the following three Bundesliga matches, even starting twice when Kompany rotated the lineup during the crucial phase of the Champions League.
Clearly, the academy prospect—who had never played in any league system before his move to FC Bayern—impressed Kompany. That’s why the reigning double champions will sign Ndiaye to a permanent contract; only the final details remain to be worked out.
Aseko was sold because of Ndiaye
Ndiaye is firmly planned for the professional squad; he will take the spot in central midfield vacated by Leon Goretzka’s departure (destination unknown). Behind the established players Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, and Tom Bischof, Ndiaye is expected to learn, mature, and develop. Partly because of the decision to sign Ndiaye, FC Bayern sold Noel Aseko (20) to Eintracht Frankfurt for around twelve million euros.
Somewhat surprisingly, Ndiaye made it onto Senegal’s World Cup roster after just four Bundesliga appearances. After not seeing any action in the three group stage matches, he came on as a substitute in extra time of the Round of 32 match against Belgium, bringing fresh energy to the dramatic 2–3 loss that came on a last-minute penalty kick. Overall, it wasn’t a particularly impressive track record, but it certainly pointed to his potential and talent, as even the biggest stage didn’t intimidate him. After taking time off following his World Cup participation, Ndiaye is expected to begin preseason training in the coming days, at which point the transfer should be officially finalized.
