FC Köln head coach, Steffen Baumgart, has weighed in on the debate surrounding the impact of new signings on the Bundesliga, asserting that Bayer Leverkusen's Victor Boniface holds more promise than Bayern Munich's marquee addition, Harry Kane, Soccernet.ng reports.
Kane, who made a high-profile multi-million euro move from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich in the ongoing transfer window, had been hailed as a potential game-changer for the league.
However, Coach Baumgart holds a more cautious view, especially in light of Sadio Mane's mediocre one-year stay at Bayern.
“Will he improve the Bundesliga decisively? We're already at a high level. A year ago, Sadio Mane also said that everything would get better. Now he's gone again,” Baumgart candidly revealed to Sportbild.
“You could see his quality, but he didn't become the saviour that he was made to be when he was signed.”
Harry Kane's acquisition marked a watershed moment for the Bundesliga, as he became the league's most expensive purchase, with a fee reportedly exceeding 100 million euros.
The Englishman's move was orchestrated from his longtime club Tottenham Hotspur to the reigning Bundesliga champions.
Coach Baumgart, however, expressed a different course of action if given the financial resources of FC Bayern.
“Harry Kane is a player we can't afford. And if we had the money, we wouldn't have thought about him either,” Baumgart affirmed.
His preference leans toward Bayer Leverkusen's Victor Boniface, whom he believes is a more fitting choice within FC Köln's financial realm.
Baumgart's optimism about Boniface is evident, as he hails the 22-year-old Nigerian forward as “one of the best strikers in Europe.
“He's 22 years old, has a good body – you know that his development is far from over and that there's a lot more to come from him.”
Backing Baumgart's assertion, Boniface made a splashy entry into the Bundesliga preseason.
The Nigerian striker found the net in Bayer Leverkusen's friendly victory against West Ham, followed by another goal in the competitive 8-0 triumph over Teutonia Ottensen in the DFB Pokal.
The stage is now set for Boniface's Bundesliga debut as Bayer Leverkusen prepare to face RB Leipzig this weekend.
