Adelaide United’s teenage sensation Nestory Irankunda has officially signed for Bayern Munich in a transfer that will net the Isuzu UTE A-League side a club record fee.
Irankunda will see out the remainder of the 2023-24 Isuzu UTE A-League season with the Reds before joining the Bundesliga champions next year, after celebrating his 18th birthday.
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The 17-year-old attacker has enjoyed an incredible rise to stardom at Adelaide, scoring nine goals in 38 appearances, making him the most prolific goal scorer under the age of 20 in competition history.
Irankunda’s knack for scoring spectacular goals, along with his incredible pace and power, have seen him emerge as one of the most exciting prospects to emerge from the A-Leagues.
Already this season, he has earned his first career start and scored a spectacular free-kick against Melbourne City, helping him to secure the October nomination for the Young Footballer of the Year Award.
WATCH A-Leagues All Access: No Plan B, following Adelaide United teenager Nestory Irankunda as he signs for German giants Bayern Munich
“I’m happy to have this all finalised and to be heading to one of the best clubs in the
world — It’s a real dream come true,” Irankunda said.
“I’ve worked hard to try and make my family proud. It’s going to be great to be able to see out the season with Adelaide United and try and have some success.
“I’ve been with the club for three or four years now and I’m really grateful to have had
such a loving and respectful environment since I’ve been here.
ALL ACCESS: Why Nestory Irankunda picked Bayern over the Premier League
THE BACKSTORY: How Nestory Irankunda was discovered & what he’ll bring to Bayern
THE MOMENT: All Access cameras capture the moment the deal was signed
HIGHLIGHTS REEL: Every Irankunda goal in the A-Leagues
ANOTHER FEAT: Irankunda earns October nomination for Young Footballer of the Year
“The coaches have looked after me and taught me so much, my teammates have always had my back and the members and fans have been so good to me, so I hope to be able to help repay that before I move.”
Irankunda will join fellow Aussie and Joeys teammate Anthony Pavlesic at Bayern, with the Australia Under-17 captain arriving in Munich this past off-season from Central Coast Mariners.
The winger’s Adelaide United journey started in 2021, when he signed a scholarship deal with the club as a 15-year-old.
He made his debut in January 2022 against Melbourne Victory and it only took a matter of weeks for him to make his presence felt, scoring a stunning free-kick to defeat Newcastle Jets in his third A-Leagues appearance for the club.
He went on to become an instant fan favourite, earning a call-up to the A-Leagues All-Stars side that faced FC Barcelona less than half a year following his debut.
Irankunda has taken further strides this season, evolving into a fully-fledged starter in Adelaide after playing primarily as an impact substitute.
“This is an exciting opportunity for Nestory and his family for him to go to one of the biggest clubs in the world,” said Adelaide United CEO Nathan Kosmina.
Learn more about Nestory Irankunda’s backstory in this KEEPUP Studios feature.
“We are proud of Nestory and the role our club has played in his development.
“We have a strong track record of developing young South Australian talent and we want to see our players get opportunities to play at the highest level.
“We realise the A-Leagues’ standing as part of a global football landscape, and while as a
club our primary focus is always team success, developing players that can go on to represent Australia and play in the top leagues in the world is something we are extremely proud of.
Given Nestory’s age, he will not complete his transfer until next July 2024, which gives great opportunity to see one of the world’s brightest young talents play at Coopers Stadium for the entirety of the Isuzu UTE A-League season.
This week’s episode of A-Leagues All Access will take you inside Irankunda’s transfer to Bayern Munich, with behind the scenes footage of him signing his contract and more. Watch it on aleagues.com.au this Thursday.
