Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng hints that he might be open to a move away from the club this summer.
Jerome Boateng has once again raised doubts about his future at Bayern Munich. The German defender has reportedly angered Bayern’s heirarchy after his recent comments. Boateng has not featured for the Bavarians since his injury against Real Madrid last month, but still can’t keep himself out of the limelight.
The German defender has been included in Germany’s preliminary World Cup squad and is confident about being fit for the tournament. While speaking with Sky Germany on Sunday, Boateng once again admitted that moving abroad is appealing to him right now.
The German defender also added that his potential leaving would not have anything to do with Bayern Munich, as there are absolutely no problems between him and the club.
"“I’m now at an age where I’m thinking about moving abroad again.“It’s very difficult to leave Bayern, and deciding to leave would not be because I’m not feeling well.”"
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Boateng has previously endured a poor experience away from Germany. He spent a year at Manchester City before moving to Bayern in 2011. Since then Boateng has become one of the best center-backs in Europe. He played a crucial role in Germany’s World Cup win in 2014 and was excellent for his nation at Euro 2016.
The last two years have not been so good for Boateng, though. He struggled with injury issues in Carlo Ancelotti’s first year at the club. After returning from a long layoff, Boateng found himself behind both Mats Hummels and Javi Martinez in the pecking order. There were murmurs about his departure as he found gametime difficult under the Italian manager.
Boateng eventually decided to stay at Bayern ahead of a World Cup year. There was more, slightly unexpected, competition for him this season after the arrival of Niklas Sule from Hoffenheim. He initially found gametime hard to come by at the start of the season, as Ancelotti stuck with his preferred pairing.
However, after Ancelotti’s departure in September, things changed drastically for Boateng. Jupp Heynckes took over at Bayern on an interim basis and he instantly moved Martinez back into midfield. Boateng was once again the first choice defender along with Hummels. He gradually returned to his best form and enjoyed a decent season.
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Niko Kovac is set to manage Bayern Munich starting next season. The Croatian might go with three center-backs in his starting lineup, so it is unlikely Bayern will sanction Boateng’s sale. The Berlin-born defender remains one of the best center-backs in Europe when he is completely fit. Bayern will be hoping that he sticks with them for at least two more years.