It has been a hectic ride in the rumor mill for Bayern Munich center-back Jerome Boateng. However, after recent developments, it appears the latest interest from PSG seems to be dissipating.
Jerome Boateng has seen a fair amount of interest abroad this summer. This is especially so as Bayern Munich have begun offloading certain players, beginning with Arturo Vidal’s transfer to Barcelona. For a short period of time, it seemed as if Manchester United would be the next destination for the German international.
However, that mutual attraction appeared to have dissipated in the end. After some supposed words from new manager Niko Kovac, Jerome Boateng himself allegedly told Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho that he will not be joining the club. It certainly did not help the situation that United were only proposing to pay half of the asking price Bayern Munich placed on Boateng.
More from Ligue 1
- Mbappe seeking greener pastures as PSG project threatens to implode
- Kylian Mbappe informs PSG he won’t sign extension past 2024
- Ligue 1: Permutations for the final round of matches
- Three questions after PSG beat Ajaccio ahead of clash with Maccabi Haifa
- Time for PSG ‘to keep the chasing pack at distance,’ says coach Galtier
This did not bring an end to the rumors of a transfer abroad from ending, however. It seems as if Jerome Boateng has now opted for a switch to PSG. After some reported interest from the player himself, it appears there are some barriers looking to prevent the transfer from coming to fruition.
The first hints of a breakdown in the potential transfer of Jerome Boateng himself began with some issues of FFP rules looking to prevent PSG from being able to afford the Bayern Munich man. This threatens to block the move as the asking price of the player sits at least at €50 million.
Adding to this, further developments suggest that Jerome Boateng is no longer a top priority for the Parisian club. Per Sky reporter Max Bielefeld, a left-back is being seen as more of a concern and younger and cheaper options to Boateng are also being considered. Considering both of these reports, it appears that Boateng may have to stick around at Bayern Munich for at least this season.
In addition to FFP and PSG allegedly wanting a younger and cheaper model center-back, these reported decisions made by the Parisian club could also suggest that maybe the injury track record of Jerome Boateng is also of some concern. Along with his approaching age, Jerome Boateng has seen his fair share of the sidelines in recent seasons due to injury.
This could also easily be seen as a move for PSG looking to freshen up their center-back depth with fresher blood. Brazilian captain Thiago Silva, while a stalwart defender to his credit, is 33 years of age. Now with former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel taking the reigns, the German will likely be looking to introduce more young talent in the PSG ranks.
And in this case, it looks like the center-back position is under Tuchel’s radar as well. This of course being in addition to seeking out a talented left-back to add to the PSG defensive line. 23-year-old Marquinhos already is looking to command the back line, and it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise if veteran 29-year-old German defender Jerome Boateng doesn’t quite fit the bill PSG need. This is especially so if a fairly hefty price tag for the German is to be asked.