“I can bring real added value to a team”

Foot Mercato: Bouna, how are you?

Bouna Sarr : Listen, I'm perfectly fine. I'm doing well from a physical point of view. This long period without a club is a bit unprecedented for me in my career, because it is the first time that I find myself without a club. It's not an easy time, but as I often say, with every bad comes a good. It allowed me, after my injury, to continue to work more and harder to strengthen myself physically, strengthen myself mentally and wait for the next challenge. It's true that today we see that the market is a bit special with a lot of players who are without contracts. We're biding our time, we're waiting for things to move. The winter transfer window opens in less than two weeks. In truth, I didn't even see or feel this first part of the season. I took refuge in work. I worked hard and kept myself ready. I thought it was going to move before, but it didn't. We just hope that things will get better during this transfer window. We keep the faith and it will be okay.

FM: We must have asked you this question 100 times, but how do you stay in shape when you don't have a club for such a long period?

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BS : you have to work regularly, constantly. Obviously, there is nothing that replaces group sessions. But we try to get as close as possible in the exercises that we are going to do, particularly with my physical trainers, whether it is the one I have in Senegal or the one I have in Dubai. I work a lot with them. Today, I personally have no fear in telling myself that if tomorrow I only took over one club, I would have difficulty adapting. Without any pretension, I think that physically, I have always had facilities and qualities that allow me to quickly get back into the rhythm. Today, even through my sessions, I was able to have the chance to do sessions with other professional players in a group. I was injured for a long time, but today, I no longer have any after-effects, no more worries, it's ancient history.

FM: We recently had Layvin Kurzawa who told us that psychologically sometimes it could be complicated if we weren't surrounded enough. That there were bound to be ups and downs. Have you experienced this?

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BS : obviously the family, the loved ones, Touti Mendy my agent. But I found my escape by traveling in particular to Senegal. It’s my country of heart. This is the country where I represent a selection. The country where I won my first CAN. Meeting all these people who love you, who appreciate you, who give you this strength, who encourage you to continue working hard and who want you to find a challenge as quickly as possible to be able to return to the selection again. It gives you extra motivation. And that’s what also helps you not to give up. So, it's not easy, we're not going to lie. But I am a person who remains very positive, no matter the situation. I have experienced difficult situations in my career, complicated moments. It was obviously different, but I know that football is my passion. I know I still have a lot to bring to football. And today, I am in great shape to be able to be available to a club and perform again.

“I am at 100% of my abilities and I will have no problem fitting into a group”

FM: how do you explain that no one came to recruit you last summer when you were free?

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BS : we had requests, we had projects that we decided not to select. Then where I can understand the clubs is that they were a little reluctant about the timing of my injury to the Crusaders. It happened during the second part of the season at the end of my contract. So there are questions about my recovery time, and whether I'm operational or not. And that played a big role in discussions with higher-end clubs. But today, I think there are no more excuses. Since this summer, even if I haven't played competitively, I have kept up as best I can. I am at 100% of my abilities and I will have no problem fitting into a group and making my contribution for this second part of the season. No matter the level, the challenge, the competition, I am ready.

FM: Have you lowered your requirements or are you determined to be as selective as last summer?

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BS : listen, to be honest with you, I listen to all projects. Afterwards, I validate, I do not validate. I take responsibility for it. Without any pretension, I think that I can still return to clubs which play in great competitions at a good level but once again, I am not excluding anything. Now, there are lots of things to take into account, lots of parameters. But I'm not going to be greedy either, if we're talking about a financial point of view. I still want to play football again. Because I know today that I can bring real added value to a team that needs it.

“I am not closed in terms of championship. It could be France, like Spain, like England.

FM: We've been talking about projects and competitiveness for a while, but what type of project are you looking for? Rather France, rather abroad?

BS : I don't really have a priority, whether it's France or abroad. I don't close any doors. I really miss football, I want to play football again at a good level. Especially since I have no particular financial requirements. But in any case, I am not closed in terms of the championship. It could be France, like Spain, like England, it doesn't matter. I'm just waiting for someone to give me a chance.

FM: how are things going in terms of discussions currently, have you been able to discuss with clubs? Do you leave that to your agent?

BS : to be honest with you, my agent, Touti Mendy, manages all of that. We like to exchange ideas every month, let's say. I let them manage. I like to stay focused on my preparation, on my training. He works on his side to find me the best project. I have 100% confidence in him. At one point, after the season resumed for one, two or even three months, there were things that could have been interesting, but we said to ourselves that it was better to wait until mid-season. That at that point, the clubs would no longer need to strengthen themselves. It will be a more opportune moment for the clubs as well as for me. We made that decision. In a few days, a new transfer window will open and we hope that at that time, we will find the best project.

FM: do you think that today there is still room for players like you, like other experienced players who don't have a club, who can bring a real plus, particularly in France? ?

BS : obviously. I aspire to play for many more years. I think that genetically, morphologically, I have no problem playing for a long time. Beyond my injury at the Crusaders, I don't think I had any injury problems. This was mainly the concern I had during my career. But today I no longer feel any pain, I feel very good. I'm 32, I think I can play until I'm 37, 38. On the one hand, I can perhaps understand the clubs on that. But for my part, I don't have that worry to say that I would have problems due to my age, quite the contrary. Today, I'm still fresh, there won't be any problems at that level.

“there are many people who would not be against a helping hand from Bouna Sarr today at OM”

FM: At the start of the interview, you told me that you took part in training with other players in Dubai. Did you form a small collective of players without a club to keep in shape?

BS : Yes, I met Serge Aurier in Dubai, Josuha Guilavogui who joined from Leeds. Other players who were in the Bundesliga, in England, players under contract who came during international tournaments. I always made sure to be there during those times so I could evaluate myself against them. When you see me training with them, you don't feel like a person without a club. You sense a person who is there to maintain themselves, but who has no physical delay, quite the contrary. People with whom I have worked in the past can be asked about my history. I have always been number one in all physical tests. Even at Bayern Munich, through OM and everywhere. Today, I don't think that this injury made me lose all of these qualities.

FM: we feel very attached to Senegal, the long-term objective after finding a club, is the selection?

BS : of course, because I have given up on the selection. I always wanted to come back. Unfortunately, this injury meant that I couldn't. I have always felt this love from the Senegalese supporters who write to me a lot through social networks. It's also something that shows today that there are certain people who can't wait to see you back on the pitch, can't wait to see you back in the selection. Between you and me, I also receive a lot of messages from Marseille supporters. Besides, there are many people who would not be against a helping hand from Bouna Sarr today at OM. Now, I'm not the only decision maker. It’s the clubs, it’s the sports directors, it’s the coaches. There are many parameters to take into account. There are also the needs of the clubs in relation to positions. So there you have it, let's be patient and we will adapt.