Thomas Tuchel keen on bringing Jerome Boateng to Paris Saint-Germain

According to French newspaper L’Equipe (via Welt), new Paris Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel is quite keen on bringing Bayern Munich center back Jerome Boateng to the French capital this summer. Tuchel’s interest in Boateng comes as no surprise, as the manager will have become quite familiar with the towering center back during his time as Borussia Dortmund manager in the Bundesliga.

Speaking on the L’Equipe rumors to Sport1, Tuchel cleverly skirted around a direct answer when asked about Boateng, but admitted that PSG are actively looking for top talents, especially after losing defensive midfielder Thiago Motta:

Of course we’ll try to get top players. PSG wants to try to [get] this or that reinforcement that takes into account what we have in mind.

Tactically, Tuchel’s preferred system of playing three center backs with two, more-advanced wing backs would suite their style of play quite well, especially with Boateng as one of the back three. He could slot alongside Thiago Silva and Marquinhos, with wings backs Layvin Kurzawa and Dani Alves pushed forward on the flanks.

AC Milan’s Leonardo Bonucci is also said to be a target, but that’s more-so if they’re unable to bring in Boateng. L’Equipe are reporting that Bayern want upwards of €70m to €80m for Boateng, which is a bit higher than PSG were initially anticipating. They are a club, though, that has no shortage of funds by any means.

Ironically enough, Bayern came from 1-0 down to beat Tuchel’s PSG 3-1 in Bayern’s first pre-season friendly as a part of the International Champions Cup. Boateng, like all of the other World Cup participants, was not involved but the reports coming out of France gave the friendly added substance.

Boateng’s comments (via FourFourTwo) from back in May seem to have more merit as the rumors intensify on what seems like a weekly basis:

Foreign counties are always interesting. You do not have many chances. Everyone has to decide for himself whether he wants to gain experience again. I’m a different age now than I was at Manchester City and now at the point of thinking about it again. Of course, it’s very difficult to get away from Bayern. That would not be a decision against Bayern, I’ve been feeling very well in Munich for years

(Photo by Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images)