New Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac expects star center-back Jerome Boateng to stay at the club amid Paris Saint-Germain transfer links.
With Bayern Munich‘s first competitive game of the 2018-19 season just a few days away, the future of a few players is still up in the air. Veteran defender Jerome Boateng is the player whose future has been discussed the most heavily.
Boateng has been linked with a move away from Munich all throughout the summer, since commenting about his potential interest in playing abroad one more time in his career.
Although Manchester United briefly expressed interest in the Bayern star, Paris Saint-Germain have remained the firm favorites to sign Boateng. Some reports even suggest that the Parisians have agreed personal terms with the player and only have to come to an agreement with Bayern’s board.
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Despite Boateng’s future hanging in the balance, Niko Kovac is confident his defender will remain in Bavaria for the ’18-19 season. Speaking in a press conference ahead of Sunday’s Supercup (via OneFootball), Kovac said he has no worries about anyone leaving his squad.
"“I can’t tell you what’s going to happen [with Boateng], but I am very confident about Bayern considering the way the team is conducting itself.“Right now, I am just assuming all the players will be here in September. I am very comfortable about the situation, the squad is complete.”"
Kovac apparently isn’t concerned that Boateng will be leaving anytime soon. He even confirmed that the German is an option at center-back for Sunday’s match.
The Croatian also praised Arjen Robben for his recent comments on the Boateng transfer speculation. The Dutchman recently backed his teammate to stay at Bayern and even went on to call him one of the best defenders in the world, which Kovac loved.
"“All I can say is that it shows the team spirit at Bayern, the team spirit is amazing. If a player goes public it shows the team is a unit.“Of course, they are all individuals, they are fighting for their careers, but if we can unify and unite them that’s a good sign. So, I am happy about these statements.”"
The most recent report about Boateng’s future suggested PSG are dealing with Financial Fair Play issues that threaten to terminate any chance of a transfer. If that’s the case, Boateng may have no option but to remain in Bavaria.
Boateng is one of the best center-backs in the world and is a real asset to Niko Kovac. If Boateng left, Mats Hummels would be the only veteran pure center-back left in the squad. It’s no surprise Kovac is so keen to keep Jerome Boateng in Munich.