Sacha Boey logged his first minutes of the season for FC Bayern Munich during a 6-1 Bundesliga victory against RB Leipzig, stepping onto the pitch in the 77th minute. The 26-year-old French right-back replaced Minjae Kim after the defender picked up a knock, marking a sudden return for a player who spent the summer on the club’s transfer list and was temporarily excluded from first-team training sessions.

The appearance caught observers off guard because the club’s leadership spent the summer transfer window openly stating their intention to sell the defender, making this clear over several weeks in interviews and press conferences at every opportunity. Sportvorstand Max Eberl explained after the final whistle that the substitution was born of necessity and professional respect rather than a long-term tactical shift. “Minjae had a few problems, so he had to come off. Sacha gives 100 percent in training. He throws himself into it,” Eberl said, acknowledging the player’s difficult standing at the club. “Now he was there. The coach rewarded him for his training performance. And that is nice.”

From Galatasaray Transfer to Squad Exile at Säbener Straße

Boey arrived in Munich in January 2024 from Galatasaray for a reported transfer fee of 30 million euros, advancing to become one of the biggest transfer flops of recent history. By the second half of the previous campaign, Boey had spent time on loan back at Galatasaray, though the Turkish club ultimately declined a reported 15 million euro purchase option.

When the summer transfer window opened, sporting director Christoph Freund and the management made it clear that Boey had no future in coach Vincent Kompany’s plans. As transfer talks with clubs including Hamburger SV and Fulham failed to materialize into a permanent sale, the situation escalated. During that period, Boey was temporarily separated from the main squad to maintain individual fitness while prospective deals were negotiated.

Training Ground Professionalism Earns Brief Respite Under Kompany

When the transfer deadline passed without a buyer, Boey returned to group sessions at Säbener Straße. After Boey to begin the season six times had not been in the squad, he was recently included in the professional squad four times before Kompany finally deployed him against Leipzig. During the match, Vincent Kompany initially gave instructions from the sidelines before spending most of the time sitting down due to hip issues and a virus infection that had been plaguing him for days.

The decision to use Boey over other defensive alternatives highlighted a specific management philosophy. While Hiroki Ito was also available on the bench, and regulars like Jonathan Tah and Alphonso Davies were being preserved for an upcoming UEFA Champions League fixture against Arsenal, Kompany opted to hand Boey his belated debut. Despite the cameo, the club’s underlying strategy has not changed. Bayern’s hierarchy intends to actively seek a new buyer for the defender when the January transfer window opens, aiming to clear his contract—which runs until 2028—off the wage bill.

Alternative Ranks and Future Outlook

Within the squad hierarchy, Konrad Laimer is established on the right side, with Josip Stanisic serving as his current backup. Although Stanisic has not started the season well, he remains clearly ahead of Boey. On the left flank, Alphonso Davies and newcomer Nathaniel Brown share the playing time. For Boey, the appearance might even prove to be his final match for Munich as he reached Kompany’s Bundesliga matchday squad for only the second time.