Bayern Munich will make decision regarding Jerome Boateng on Friday
Bayern Munich did a fine job of strengthening the attack in the summer but minimized the depth in midfield and defense. The departure of Benjamin Pavard in the final week of the transfer window left a big void in the squad. Bayern tried to fill this void by signing Trevoh Chalobah from Chelsea, but the transfer never materialized.
The effects of the poor end to the transfer window have been visible in the past few weeks. With all three center-backs injured, Bayern had no senior central defender for the DFB Pokal clash against Preussen Munster. Leon Goretzka and Konrad Laimer had to play in the heart of defense.
Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae returned to the squad next game, but Matthijs de Ligt is still on the sidelines. Bayern are currently weighing up the option of bringing Jerome Boateng back to the club on a free transfer. The 35-year-old defender has been training with the squad in the past few days.
According to Bild (Subscription needed), Friday is the deadline set by Bayern to make a decision about Boateng’s signing. The German defender continues to train with the squad as coaches check if he has the fitness to play for Die Roten. Jerome Boateng has been without a club for four months since leaving Lyon on a free transfer in the summer.
AZ has reported that Thomas Tuchel is pushing for the signing of Boateng. The German coach has been an admirer of Boateng since his days at Paris Saint-Germain. Tuchel tried to sign him at PSG a few years ago, but the two clubs couldn’t reach an agreement on the transfer. Boateng eventually left the Bavarian club in 2021 on a free transfer to join Lyon.
Signing Boateng on a short-term deal sums up how badly Die Roten messed up with their transfer plans in the final month of the window. The 35-year-old is no longer a quality defender, so he is not going to strengthen the squad. It will be a big surprise if he even plays a game for Die Roten since they are expected to sign a defender in January.
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There is another significant reason to not sign Jerome Boateng. The former German international’s signing sets a bad example about the club’s morals. There has been significant criticism behind this transfer due to Boateng’s off-field problems. Boateng was found guilty of assaulting his girlfriend in 2021. The majority of Bayern fans will prefer seeing Laimer and Goretzka play in central defense if the solution is Boateng.