Chelsea have reportedly made a move for Jerome Boateng, and have submitted an enquiry to Bayern Munich for the German defender.
According to a report in the Daily Mirror, Chelsea have made their move to bring Jerome Boateng back to the Premier League in the summer transfer window. The Premier League champions have made an enquiry to Bayern Munich to check the German defender’s availability over a possible transfer.
Boateng’s career has taken off since he joined Bayern Munich from Manchester City in the summer of 2011. In the last six years, the player has blossomed into one of the best central defenders in the world, and an instrumental figure for both club and country.
The recently concluded season, however, was full of struggles for Boateng as he was forced to play a restricted role for Bayern due to a spate of injuries. Consequently, the 28-year-old managed to make 21 appearances in all competitions for the Bavarian giants.
Ahead of the 2017/18 season, Boateng’s place in the first-team setup at the Allianz Arena is under threat. Having already lost his place as a regular in the starting lineup due to his various injury bouts, Niklas Sule’s impending arrival could push the player further down the pecking order.
With uncertainty possibly surrounding his Bayern future, Boateng could be forced to look for pastures anew. Taking stock of the Germany international’s position at the club, Chelsea are set to launch the offensive over a possible move in the summer.
Antonio Conte is believed to be in search of a centre-back with little to choose from beyond his first-choice players following the departure of Nathan Ake to Bournemouth. The Dutch defender’s exit leaves the Chelsea boss with just Kurt Zouma as a backup option, with the future of Andreas Christensen up in the air as well.
With Gary Cahill on the wrong side of 30 and David Luiz on the mark as well, Boateng’s addition could provide Conte with a younger defender who could provide him with his best years at Stamford Bridge. Moreover, with the player being comfortable on the ball, he is a viable target for Chelsea to consider.
The prospect of playing regular first-team football after an underwhelming 2016/17 season could appeal to Boateng, who has admitted that he is eager to secure more regular game time. The Blues have now pounced on the situation by making an enquiry to Bayern over the player’s availability.
The report suggests that Boateng could be open to a return to the Premier League. Meanwhile, Bayern are likely to command a fee in excess of £30 million, which Chelsea will have no problem forking out. It now remains to be seen if the move sees the light of the day or if Chelsea are forced to look elsewhere in pursuit of defensive reinforcements.
