Manchester United and Manchester City are reportedly set to go head-to-head in pursuit of Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng this summer
According to a report by The Sun, Jerome Boateng could be on his way out of Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window. The German international is being courted by Manchester United and former clubs Manchester City, and could cost around £50 million.
Boateng’s career has taken off remarkably since he departed Manchester City in the summer of 2011 to join Bayern Munich. Over the last seven years, the player has been the first-choice defender for both club and country, and has forged a solid central defensive partnership with Mats Hummels that has stood his sides in good stead.
In all, Boateng has featured over 250 times for Bayern and the seven-year period has seen him cement his status as one of the best defenders in the world. However, his time at the Allianz Arena could be about to come to an end, with his former employers City, as well as Manchester United, interested.
At Manchester United, Jose Mourinho has admittedly been disconcerted by his side’s recent defensive performances. While summer signing Victor Lindelof has struggled to gel quickly in his new surroundings, English duo Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are reportedly facing the axe this summer.
With Marcos Rojo the only other option in addition to first-choice centre-back Eric Bailly, Boateng has emerged as a viable short-term option for Manchester United, which could also facilitate a smoother growth for Lindelof in the first-team setup. But, Manchester City are in the hunt for the player as well.
The interest from the Premier League champions-elect comes a bit of a surprise though, with Aymeric Laporte a recent long-term addition to an already strong defensive unit featuring John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi and Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany.
Nevertheless, Pep Guardiola is eager to be reunited with his former Bayern Munich charge at the Etihad and is set to make a move for him this summer. The report suggests that the player could be available for £50 million, which is unlikely to deter either Manchester City or Manchester United in his pursuit.
As far as the player is concerned, his successful relationship with Guardiola in the past could possible see Manchester City having an advantage over Manchester United in his pursuit. But, if Boateng does become available in the summer, the competition for him could rapidly increase, and it remains to be seen where he heads off to this summer.
