According to reports in Italy, Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng is offered to Napoli as the German club plans to sell him this summer.
It is going to be a busy summer at Bayern Munich as they look to rebuild the spine of the team with young players. The Bundesliga champions have kicked off the summer transfer window with departures of two star players.
The transfer of James Rodriguez was not made permanent as the Colombian struggled with injuries and form during his second season at the club. Die Roten also decided to sanction the departure of Mats Hummels this week as the German defender returns to Borussia Dortmund.
There could be one more departure in the defensive department as Jerome Boateng’s chances of staying in Bavaria are slim. The club’s president has already urged the German defender to find a new club in order to get regular minutes on the pitch next season.
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According to Corriere Dello Sport (via Calciomercato), Boateng’s entourage has offered the player’s services to Napoli. This report further adds that Napoli is yet to respond to this offer. The German defender will have the opportunity to reunite with Carlo Ancelotti in Naples if this transfer takes place.
It has been previously reported by ESPN that Boateng will prefer a move to Serie A this summer. The 30-year-old defender was quickly linked with a move to Inter Milan but the German media denied these rumors. The links to Paris Saint Germain still exist as Boateng came close to joining the French club last summer.
Boateng has not completely ruled out staying at Bayern next season. The German center-back is ready to fight for his place in the starting eleven next season. However, the club is eager to offload him this summer as they have reportedly reduced their evaluation of the player. Even after the departure of Hummels, Boateng will be fourth choice center-back in the squad as the likes of Niklas Sule, Lucas Hernandez, and Benjamin Pavard remain ahead in the pecking order.
Napoli might not be an ideal destination for Boateng in Serie A. The Italian club is currently pursuing the signing of Kostas Manolas in order to replace the departing Raul Albiol. The Bayern defender might be a fallback option for the Serie A runners-up if they fail to sign Manolas. It will be interesting to see where Boateng ends up this summer as most top European clubs have good depth in the center-back position.