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When it was reported that Bayern Munich hadn’t yet ended their activities for the 2019 summer transfer window, another defensive departure was probably not what people had in mind. Despite the arrivals of Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez this summer, the Bavarians look distinctly thin at the back — mainly due to the departure of Mats Hummels to Borussia Dortmund. Of course, everyone expected one of either Hummels or Jerome Boateng to leave ... but not both.
Speaking to the press, Bayern Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge reaffirmed the club’s stance on Boateng — i.e. that he’s free to leave:
Rummenigge zu Boateng „es wird nicht einfach für ihn seine Einsätze zu bekommen. Dann wird er nicht zufrieden sein... wenn er den Club verlassen will muss er es sagen“ Angebot? „Nein mir nicht bekannt“ @SkySportDE @FCBayern
— Marc Behrenbeck (@Sky_Marc) August 21, 2019
It won’t be easy for him to get his playing time. Then he’ll be dissatisfied... If he wants to leave the club, he has to say so. No, I don’t know of any [offers for Boateng].
This essentially echoes Uli Hoeness’ statement from the beginning of the transfer window, where he advised Boateng to look for a new club in search of playing time. However, that was before Mats Hummels chose to move back to Dortmund, and before Boa himself took the extra (and necessary) step to apologize for his conduct at the end of last season.
Given Boateng’s experience, one would expect Bayern to welcome his change of heart and decide to make him unsellable this window. Coach Niko Kovac and teammates Thomas Muller and Niklas Sule have all come out in support of the world cup winning defender. Yet, this seems to have made no changes to the bosses’ indifference.
Now there are reports that Bayern are willing to part with Boateng for as little as €25m, provided an offer comes in. However, since the EPL transfer window has already closed, the number of clubs that might both want and afford the defender is small. Paris Saint-German have long been rumored to be interested, but those reports dried up over a month ago. Serie A giants Juventus were also linked with Boateng at one point, but again, those rumors went cold after they signed Matthijs de Ligt.
At the moment, it seems like Boateng will remain at Bayern, not because the club wants him, but because he has nowhere else to go. As the transfer window rapidly draws to a close, it remains to be seen how the Boateng saga concludes — but it’s rather baffling to see a club whose stated intention is to compete on all fronts let quality depth leave for no good reason.