BERLIN, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Bayern Munich have signed Ismael Saibari from reigning Dutch champions PSV, adding one of the World Cup's standout attackers to Vincent Kompany's squad, the German club announced on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old, playing for Morocco at the tournament in North America, has signed on at Bayern until 2031, and will move to Munich after the World Cup.
Saibari arrives after winning three league titles in succession with PSV, as well as three Dutch Super Cups and two Dutch Cups. He scored 42 goals and provided 29 assists in 142 competitive appearances for PSV, while last season he struck 15 goals and set up eight more in 27 league matches.
Born in Terrassa, Spain, Saibari began his path in professional football in the academy of Anderlecht, later moving through Genk's under-19 side before joining PSV in 2020. He made his first-team league debut for the Dutch club only months later.
Saibari has also become a key figure for Morocco, the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions. He has scored 12 goals in 34 international appearances since making his debut in 2023.
At the World Cup, he scored in Morocco's 1-1 draw with Brazil, the 1-0 win over Scotland and the 4-2 victory over Haiti, before converting the final penalty in the last-32 shoot-out against the Netherlands.
Bayern sporting chief Max Eberl said the club had secured "one of the most exciting attacking players of this World Cup" and praised the planning behind the deal. "Such transfers do not arise from the moment, but from forward-looking work," Eberl said.
"Ismael Saibari will give our attacking play additional quality and unpredictability."
Sporting director Christoph Freund highlighted Saibari's versatility, intensity and Champions League experience. "For such players, fans come to the stadium," Freund said.
Saibari said signing for Bayern fulfilled a childhood dream and that Kompany had played a major role in his decision. "The style of FC Bayern suits me, I can play my game here and I will work hard every day to help the team," he said.
He now joins a Bayern side coming off a domestic double, after they won both the Bundesliga title and the German Cup last season. ■
