Bayern Munich, on Sunday, announced the signing of right-back Sacha Boey from Galatasaray on a 4.5-year contract. The Frenchman, who sparkled for the Turkish club this season, has been acquired for a fee of €30 million with another €5 million in potential add-ons. Galatasaray has also reserved a cut of a future sale for the 23-year-old.
A dream move
"This is a dream come true for me. It’s an honour to play for such a big club like Bayern. I’m looking forward to my new team and getting to play with all these great players in the future," said Boey upon signing on the dotted line in Bavaria.
🤝 FC Bayern have completed the signing of Sacha Boey from Galatasaray 🔴⚪
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) January 28, 2024
✍️ https://t.co/QJQ5275gNX#ServusSacha pic.twitter.com/wKRWkqN7JQ
Club CEO Jan-Christian Dressen expressed delight in signing the Rennes academy graduate, stating, "We’re pleased to have signed a young player with a lot of potential on a long-term deal in Sacha Boey. He performed really well in both Champions League games against us. It means we haven’t just improved our squad depth but also added further quality."
Boey's journey so far
A graduate of the Rennes academy, Boey took his first steps on loan at Dijon FCO where he impressed against a PSG side coached by current FC Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel. The 23-year-old moved to Galatasaray in the summer of 2021 quickly becoming an integral part of the side.
He was key in Galatasaray's title win last season, scoring once and assisting a further four times in 31 league games. This season, he played every minute in Gala's league and Champions League campaigns, missing out on only two games.
What does Boey bring to Bayern Munich?
FC Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund stated, "Sacha Boey is a very quick and physically strong right-back, who covers a lot of ground in every game and doesn’t shy away from any tackles. He was a fan favorite at Galatasaray, has developed very well down the years, arrives with Champions League experience and won the league title with Galatasaray last season. He will increase our quality in defense."
A 5' 10' wing-back, Boey possesses great pace and great attacking quality from the wing. Bayern are currently without first-choice right-back Noussair Mazraoui who is away at AFCON. Even during his time in Munich, Mazraoui has not been highly preferred by Tuchel featuring only 820 minutes in the league this season. As a result, Bayern were also weighing their options between Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier and PSG's Nordi Mukiele.
With creditable passing numbers, Boey offers more attacking and defensive output than Mazraoui (number comparison below) with the duo adding to Tuchel's wing-back options.
Statistic | Sacha Boey | Noussair Mazraoui |
|---|---|---|
Shot-Creating Actions | 3.67 | 3.02 |
Passes Attempted (Completion Rate %) | 62 (80.1%) | 73.38 (86.8%) |
Progressive Passes | 6.38 | 8.83 |
Progressive Carries | 3.00 | 3.18 |
Successful Take-Ons | 1.17 | 1.15 |
Progressive Passes Received | 6.33 | 6.97 |
Tackles+Interceptions | 4.33 | 3.18 |
Blocks+Clearances | 5.00 | 2.96 |
Aerial Duels Won | 2.00 | 1.59 |
Boey's numbers increase further when playing in the Champions League as a result of which he would offer attacking numbers when required for Bayern's progression in the final third along with sturdiness off the ball.
What's in store for Boey and Bayern Munich?
Despite his quality, Boey will have his task cut out. Die Roten are currently in second place in the Bundesliga, two points behind Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen.
The Frenchman could make his debut against Borussia Mönchengladbach, but the real task comes when Bayern face Leverkusen in a potential title decider on February 10 before restarting their Champions League campaign against Lazio in the Round of 16.