Kovac: Bayern Munich must replace Jerome Boateng if he leaves

Hot on the heels of potential links to Tottenham Hotspur’s Toby Alderweireld and Stuttgart’s World Cup hero Benjamin Pavard, Niko Kovac has confirmed that he will need one more center back if Jerome Boateng were to leave the Bayern Munich. In a report by SZ (via Sport Bild) the coach had this to say:

With him, Mats Hummels and Niklas Süle, I have three world-class defenders, and I need them too. [If Boateng should leave FC Bayern,] I assume that we’ll think about a replacement.

According to an excerpt posted by Tobias Atlschäffl, Kovac does not believe that Javi Martinez is enough to fill the gap in the lineup alongside Hummels and Süle.

Throughout the summer, Kovac has maintained that he wants Boateng to remain on the squad for the upcoming season. While there has been great speculation linking the German international to Paris Saint-Germain, the rumors have recently died down after the Parisians’ acquisition of Thilo Kehrer from Schalke. With the English and Italian transfer windows already closed, Boateng can no longer transfer to the likes of Manchester City or Juventus (if that was his wish).

BFW Analysis: Don’t believe everything you read on the internet

While it looks increasingly likely that Boateng will stay, it’s reassuring to hear that Niko Kovac still wants a replacement if he were to move on. For a team competing on three fronts like Bayern, it’s absolutely imperative to have at least four center backs on the squad. We’ve heard disconcerting rumors all summer about how Bayern wouldn’t buy anyone for the defense even if we lost Jerome Boateng, but at least that worry can be put to rest for now.

On a more important note, this news also contradicts what Christian Falk of Sport Bild said here:

Falk is considered one of the most reliable Bayern Munich journalists, but even he is liable to make mistakes or be contradicted by official sources at the club. While this doesn’t change his status as a tier-1 journalist for Bayern, it should remind us that there is no such thing as gospel truth when it comes to transfer rumors. There’s a simple reason why.

Falk himself was likely working on the basis of what Karl-Heinz Rummeingge said earlier in the transfer window — that Bayern were well-set with just Mats Hummels, Niklas Süle, and Javi Martinez and didn’t need to purchase another defender. However, it was speculated at the time that the lack of interest might be a smokescreen for Bayern to get Pavard. See how confusing this all can get?

Silly season is called that for a reason, and we should not get carried away by rumors or statements, no matter how reliable the source might be.