‘Talent's not enough': Popovic's warning to Irankunda as Bayern Munich exit looms
But Popovic's backing comes with a warning, and one that should be ringing in the ears of the 19-year-old as he nears the exit at Bayern Munich after just one year on the club's books: 'Talent's not enough. It's never been enough, and it never will be enough.'
Irankunda has reportedly agreed terms on a four-year contract with English Championship club Watford, who are prepared to pay a fee of $5.3 million (€3 million) for a full transfer from Bayern Munich. The five-cap Socceroo will depart having not played in a competitive game for the club, after spending the first part of the 2024-25 season playing for their reserves in Germany's regional leagues and then a mixed six-month stint on loan at Swiss club Grasshoppers.
Though it appears to be the end of the road for the former Adelaide United ace at Bayern, he could yet find his way back to the Bundesliga champions if his career takes off in England. The deal is said to include not only a 50 per cent sell-on fee, but a clause that would enable them to buy him back at an agreed price in the future, which means they will remain directly interested in his progress.
Watford last played in the Premier League three years ago and have been a mid-table club in the Championship since.
Adelaide United, meanwhile, will net 10 per cent of the profit Bayern made on Irankunda, negotiated as part of his transfer to Germany; if the reported figures are accurate, that could equate to about $400,000.
'I don't know if that's definitely done yet, but if it is, wonderful,' Popovic said when asked about the transfer on Tuesday.
'If it's not, hopefully that's something that comes through for Nestory. I'm sure they've done their due diligence in terms of where he would fit in that squad and what plans they have with him as a young player. Hopefully, that will help him grow and take his game to another level. The World Cup's 12 months away, so it's exciting news.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
21 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Three-time Olympian sues sporting body over ‘false imputations of paedophilia'
A three-time Olympic figure skater is suing NSW's ice skating association for defamation, claiming it made 'false imputations of paedophilia and child molestation' against him in an email to members. Documents released by the NSW Supreme Court on Friday reveal Brendan Kerry, 30, is seeking damages and an order permanently restraining the sporting body from repeating the claims in the email, sent to members on May 16 last year. Kerry was on the board of the NSW Ice Skating Association (NSWISA) until May 2024 but stood down when he received a lifetime coaching ban from the US Centre for SafeSport, which found he had engaged in 'sexual misconduct involving a minor'. In the statement of claim, Kerry's lawyers say the finding by the US Centre for Safe Sport 'involved a female [in California] who was 17 years old when Kerry was 21'. The age of consent in California is 18. In NSW, it is 16. Since retiring from competition in 2022, Kerry had worked as a coach, including at Sydney's Macquarie Ice Rink, coaching several students to international competitions. The email to members included the sanction handed down by the US Centre for SafeSport, and said the association had concerns for the 'physical and mental health, safety and wellbeing of all members, and how this situation affects our skating community'. Kerry's lawyers say failing to include the girl's age in the email was a 'deliberate failure' of the association which knew 'that in NSW, and elsewhere in Australia, 'a minor' for the purposes of consent laws is a child 15 years old or younger'. After news broke of the US ban in Australian media, Kerry denied sexual misconduct allegations and said he was innocent.
Sydney Morning Herald
21 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
A Chinese swimmer born in 2012 is ready to break an 89-year-old record
A 12-year-old Chinese swimmer who took up the sport in 2019 after being approached at an amusement park pool is hoping to become the youngest medallist at an international meet in 89 years next week. Yu Zidi, born in October 2012, will become one of the youngest swimmers ever to contest a major international meet when she lines up in three events at the World Aquatics Championships from July 27 to August 3. Yu made headlines last year as an 11-year-old after falling two seconds short of making the cut to represent China at the Paris Olympics. Just over a year later, Yu has earned selection on China's national team and will compete in three events in Singapore – the women's 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley races. To put her youth in perspective, Australian veteran Cam McEvoy had already swum at his first Olympics — London 2012 — before Yu was born. Not since the 1936 Berlin Olympics has a swimmer won an international medal at a younger age. That honour belongs to Denmark's Inge Sorensen, who picked up a bronze medal less than a month after turning 12. Yu turned heads once again at the recent Chinese trials this year by clocking big personal bests in the three events she has qualified for.
The Age
21 minutes ago
- The Age
A Chinese swimmer born in 2012 is ready to break an 89-year-old record
A 12-year-old Chinese swimmer who took up the sport in 2019 after being approached at an amusement park pool is hoping to become the youngest medallist at an international meet in 89 years next week. Yu Zidi, born in October 2012, will become one of the youngest swimmers ever to contest a major international meet when she lines up in three events at the World Aquatics Championships from July 27 to August 3. Yu made headlines last year as an 11-year-old after falling two seconds short of making the cut to represent China at the Paris Olympics. Just over a year later, Yu has earned selection on China's national team and will compete in three events in Singapore – the women's 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley races. To put her youth in perspective, Australian veteran Cam McEvoy had already swum at his first Olympics — London 2012 — before Yu was born. Not since the 1936 Berlin Olympics has a swimmer won an international medal at a younger age. That honour belongs to Denmark's Inge Sorensen, who picked up a bronze medal less than a month after turning 12. Yu turned heads once again at the recent Chinese trials this year by clocking big personal bests in the three events she has qualified for.
