Bayern Munich are currently one defender short in the squad. The absence of the fourth senior center-back in the squad was felt in midweek when Konrad Laimer and Leon Goretzka started in central defense for Bayern against Preussen Munster in DFB Pokal due to injuries for Matthijs de Ligt, Dayot Upamecano, and Kim Min-jae.
The Bavarian club sold Benjamin Pavard to Inter Milan in the final week of the summer transfer window. They couldn’t get a replacement Pavard despite negotiating for Trevoh Chalobah and Armel Bella-Kotchap with Chelsea and Southampton, respectively. Bayern has now decided to make an emergency signing to address this area in the squad.
According to Sky Sports in Germany, Bayern are close to completing a deal to bring Jerome Boateng back to the club. The German defender has been a free agent since leaving Lyon in the summer. Boateng has already completed the first part of medicals, and he is expected to train with the squad on Sunday.
Sport1 is reporting that Die Roten sees Boateng as a short-term solution in the center-back position. It remains to be seen if the former German international will be signing a deal until January or the end of the season. Regardless of Boateng’s arrival, Die Roten are expected to explore the signing of a versatile defender in January to replace Pavard.
❗️More News on #Boateng & FC Bayern: The first parts of the medical have already been completed ✅
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) September 30, 2023
➡️ He is supposed to train with the team at Säbener Straße on Sunday as first via @kessler_philipp - confirmed
➡️ He is also supposed to train with the 1st team in the next few… pic.twitter.com/AOiOlHVpIV
Boateng played a crucial role in Bayern’s two trebles (2013 and 2020) during his decade-long stay (2011-2021) in Munich. The 35-year-old central defender played 364 games for Bayern during ten years at Die Roten. After the signing of Dayot Upamecano from RB Leipzig, Boateng was released by Bayern in 2021.
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The German defender is past his best, so he is unlikely to play regularly and remains an emergency option if there is an injury crisis in the defense. There is a good chance he may end up getting no game time if Rekordmeister successfully signs a new defender in January. Thomas Tuchel tried to sign Jerome Boateng at Paris Saint-Germain, so it is not surprising to see him giving the green light to this emergency transfer.
Irrespective of the need for defensive depth Bayern shouldn’t have signed Boateng for moral reasons
Despite the scare of an injury crisis in central defense, Bayern shouldn’t have signed Jerome Boateng again. The German defender was found guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend in 2021.
Setting high sporting standards is not enough for a club like Bayern if they cannot hold high moral standards. It is disappointing to see Bayern neglecting Boateng’s history of violence against women to add more depth to a position, which they could have managed until January.