Bundesliga
"Julian Nagelsmann's a great coach" - Dayot Upamecano
Dayot Upamecano says he is relishing the opportunity to continue working with Julian Nagelsmann, after linking up with new club Bayern Munich for the first time.
Upamecano played under Nagelsmann for two formative years at RB Leipzig, before agreeing to join the record champions in February.
Nagelsmann was confirmed as Hansi Flick's successor as head coach two months later, with the pair reunited on the pitches of Bayern's Säbener Straße training complex for the start of pre-season training on 7 July.
"He's a great coach, encourages both old and young players and talks to everyone," Upamecano told Bayern's official website. "I"m happy he's here and I hope we'll win a lot of games together."
The feeling is mutual. "I know what his strengths are and what he still has to work on," Nagelsmann said of the 22-year-old French defender. "I'm very confident that he'll play."
As well as adding to his 112 Bundesliga appearances, Upamecano has his sights set on winning titles. The 6'1" centre-back lifted the 2017 UEFA U17 Euros with France, as well as two Austrian Bundesliga and Cups with Salzburg, but fell narrowly short of silverware in his time at Leipzig between January 2017 and May 2021.
"Bayern is a big club with world-class players," explained the two-time Bundesliga and DFB Cup runner-up.
"I want to help the team and play as much as possible. I'm fast and aggressive. I always give 100 percent, no matter what. I'll give everything for this great club so we can win."
Watch: Why Dayot Upamecano is the perfect signing for Bayern Munich
Despite a heavy French influence in the Bayern dressing room and the potential for Nagelsmann to field an all-bleu back four, Upamecano insists he'll be speaking German with the likes of Kingsley Coman, Lucas Hernandez, Tanguy Nianzou, Benjamin Pavard and Corentin Tolisso.
"It's cool that a lot of French players are here," commented the three-time France international. "I know some guys from the national team, but we're in Germany. We have to speak German on the pitch."
Upamecano is expected to be involved in pre-season fixtures against Cologne, Ajax, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Napoli in the coming month. He could make his competitive debut against against lower-league Bremer in the DFB Cup first round on the weekend of 6-9 August, before Bayern kick off their Bundesliga title defence away to Gladbach on 13 August.
Bayern's DFL Supercup showdown with Borussia Dortmund on 17 August provides Upamecano with his first shot at honours with the record champions.