Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have given German international Jerome Boateng the green light to leave, amid interest from Manchester United.
Manchester United have been handed a huge boost this week in their pursuit of Jerome Boateng after Bayern Munich confirmed they won’t be standing in his way, should he plan to leave the club this summer.
The German defender has been long subjected to a move out of Allianz Arena, with Manchester United, in particular emerging as a potential suitor. Boateng sparked rumours of his possible exit from Bayern, way back in April when he stressed that he had “experienced everything” during his seven-year stint with the club and it may be a time for him to look for fresh challenges elsewhere.
In a recent chat with Sport Bild, meanwhile, Bayern’s CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge asserted the fact that Boateng is indeed thinking about a change this summer. Speaking to the German sports magazine, the 62-year-old stated, “His thoughts about leaving Bayern still exist, as his agent has told me.”
“We know that this topic might be approaching. When a club is interested and Jerome says that he wants to join this club, we will consider it. I don’t hide the fact that we have a financial threshold, but it won’t be low for sure. But I know that Jerome is thinking about leaving.”
This could appear as a huge boost for Manchester United, who, in recent years, have failed to nail down a proper partnership in the central defensive positions. The likes of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling have appeared tentative in crunch games, often leaving the Red Devils fairly exposed at the back.
Reports have been rife about a possible defensive shuffle at Manchester United this summer, with both Jones and Smalling facing the axe, Hence, Boateng is a viable target for the Red Devils, especially with Victor Lindelof taking time to settle at the club.
Boateng is considered as one of Bayern Munich’s important players, who has gained some valuable experience throughout his years at the Allianz Arena. Following his move from Manchester City in 2011, the defender has found resounding success in his homeland, appearing in over 250 matches for the Bavarians.
He helped the club win six back-to-back Bundesliga titles along with three DFB Pokal and a Champions League. He also played a crucial role in Germany’s World Cup-winning campaign in 2014. Therefore, Boateng is no stranger to success, a trait largely synonymous with a club like Manchester United.
In addition, Manchester United’s pursuit of top-target Toby Alderweireld has run into troubled waters, with the Red Devils repeatedly growing frustrated over the Belgian’s distressing transfer saga. This, however, could pave way for United to shift their focus to Jerome Boateng, who could appear as a relatively cheaper alternative to £55 million-plus rated Alderweireld.
In the meantime, both of these highly-rated defenders are in Russia preparing for the World Cup campaign for their respective nations. Manchester United will surely be eager to see how they perform for their national sides on the grandest stage.
