Julian Nagelsmann has been backed by sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic to be a success in his new role as head coach of Bayern Munich. - © DFL

bundesliga

Hasan Salihamidzic: "Innovative" Julian Nagelsmann can continue Bayern Munich success story

04.07.2021

Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has said that he is looking forward to working with "very innovative" new head coach Julian Nagelsmann.

Nagelsmann officially began work at Bayern on 1 July, having left RB Leipzig to succeed new Germany head coach Hansi Flick.

"With Julian we're getting a young and innovative coach," former Bayern midfielder Salihamidzic told the club website. "Julian is a coach many top clubs in Europe wanted to sign, so we're very happy he decided to continue writing his and our success story here with us."

Bayern announced on Thursday that Josip Stanisic had signed a two-year professional contract, and Salihamidzic has backed the youngster to make the grade with the first team. Lars Lukas Mai, another 21-year-old defender, has been allowed to join Bundesliga 2 side Werder Bremen on loan after the nine-in-a-row German champions strengthened by signing Dayot Upamecano from Leipzig and Omar Richards from Reading.

French defender Dayot Upamecano will join Nagelsmann at Bayern after leaving RB Leipzig. - Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images

"We have an excellent squad which still has potential and which we'll continue to develop," Salihimadzic said. "That means we're already well placed, and we did our work early this time by signing Upamecano and Richards in defence. But we'll still keep a very close eye on the transfer market until the end."

Doing that along with Salihamidzic will be his former teammate Oliver Kahn, who has officially taken over as CEO after Karl-Heinz Rummenigge stepped away from the role after a hugely successful 20 years.

The former Bosnia and Herzegovina international said that he and Kahn, who won the 2001 UEFA Champions League together as players with Bayern, have a close and trusting relationship.

"We played together for nine years at FC Bayern, experiencing all the highs and lows alongside each other," he said. "We each know how the other ticks, deals with things, what's important to him… We'll make all important sporting decisions together, and I'm sure he's the right successor for Karl-Heinz Rummenigge."