Bayern Munich confirmed on Wednesday that they have secured the signature of Ismael Saibari from PSV Eindhoven on a contract running to 2031, a move that will be completed once Morocco’s World Cup campaign concludes. The fee, undisclosed by the clubs, is widely reported across European and Southeast Asian media at €50 million, making the 25-year-old the first major addition to Vincent Kompany’s squad for the 2026-27 season.

The transfer is the culmination of a tournament in which Saibari has emerged as one of the competition’s most decisive figures. He scored in each of Morocco’s three group-stage fixtures — a 1-0 win over Scotland, a 4-2 victory against Haiti, and the opening goal in a match against Brazil — before calmly converting the final penalty in a shootout that eliminated the Netherlands in the round of 32. Those contributions have propelled the Atlas Lions into a quarter-final against co-hosts Canada on Saturday, and they also accelerated a deal that, according to Bayern sporting director Max Eberl, was the product of long-term scouting rather than a reactive punt. “We positioned ourselves early because we knew about Ismael’s abilities and could show him a concrete perspective from the start,” Eberl said.

Saibari’s rise has been methodical. Born in Spain and developed in Belgium’s Genk academy before moving to PSV in 2020, he became a mainstay of the Eindhoven attack, registering 19 goals in all competitions last term as the club claimed a third consecutive Eredivisie title. Dutch media named him the league’s player of the season, and his versatility — capable of operating as an attacking midfielder or wide forward — will add depth to a Bayern forward line already boasting Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Luis Díaz, Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry. The player himself cited Kompany’s role in his decision, telling Brazilian outlets that the coach’s style “suits me” and that he intends to “win as many trophies as possible” at a club he described as a childhood dream.

Coverage of the transfer has reflected distinct regional emphases. Indonesian and Malaysian reports foregrounded the financial scale, converting the fee into local currency to underline its magnitude, while German media stressed the strategic patience of Bayern’s recruitment department and the club’s determination to reinforce after a domestic double was tempered by a Champions League semi-final exit to Paris Saint-Germain. African and Latin American narratives, meanwhile, framed the signing as a natural reward for a player who has become the face of Morocco’s knockout-stage run.

Saibari will not link up with his new teammates until Morocco’s tournament ends. The immediate focus remains the last-eight meeting with Canada, where another influential display would only deepen the sense that Bayern have secured one of the summer’s most coveted assets before the market could fully react.