After facing the injury crisis in the defense against Preussen Munster in DFB Pokal, Bayern Munich started talks to explore the re-signing of Jerome Boateng. The German defender is available on a free transfer since Lyon decided against extending his contract in the summer.
Boateng started training with the senior squad at Bayern on Sunday. He trained every day at Sabner Strasse as the club monitored his fitness levels. At one point, his signing looked like a mere formality since Thomas Tuchel had been pushing for this deal due to fewer options in central defense.
However, the Bavarian club has changed their mind about pursuing a deal for Boateng. According to Bild and Sky Sports in Germany, Bayern have decided against signing the German defender. Jerome Boateng was training with the squad on Friday, but the club chiefs have decided against offering him a contract.
While talking to the media on Friday, Thomas Tuchel insisted that no final decision has been made regarding Boateng. Bayern eventually released a statement to confirm reports from Friday morning that Boateng will not be signing a contract.
Jérôme Boateng will not be returning to the FC Bayern squad as the club's injury problems have eased.
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) October 6, 2023
Bayern confirmed that Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae are now training without pain, while Matthijs de Ligt will soon return to first-team training once the knee injury is completely healed. Boateng will continue to train in Munich to keep himself fit for the next step in his career. He is not considering retirement as an option right now.
The Bavarian club was expected to get a lot of backlash from fans if they had gone ahead with the signing of Boateng. The German defender was charged for assaulting his girlfriend in 2021. Considering the high moral standards Bayern fans have, Boateng’s signing would have been heavily criticised in home and away games.
Bayern eventually made the correct decision, but it was a monumental failure from club chiefs to even consider signing Jerome Boateng in the first place. It made no sense from sporting and moral perspectives. The German international is no longer a top defender, and the assault case makes him a poor role model for fans and players.
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Thomas Tuchel will most likely have four center-back options after the international break. De Ligt will recover from a knee injury, while young Tarek Buchmann will also be fit in the coming weeks. The 18-year-old center-back is considered a future first-team regular at Bayern. He is expected to be involved with the first team this season.