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There has been a lot of talk of late that Bayern Munich center-back Jerome Boateng’s days in Bavaria are numbered.
Not so fast my friend.
Incoming Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn quickly denounced the notion that the case on Boateng was already closed. In fact, he openly said that a contract extension for the 32-year-old is still in play.
“We are in contact with Jerome. We all know what he has achieved and what he is currently doing. You don’t have to worry,” Kahn told Sky (as captured by Tz). “A contract extension is not excluded. When a player performs so well, then we know what we have in him. We hold talks and then see what the future holds.”
Sport Bild took things a little further with its own report and not shockingly, it looks like Hansi Flick has gotten involved:
SPORT BILD knows: After the news that Boateng’s contract is not to be renewed, Flick called his defender, expressed his confidence in him. The coach also publicly spoke up for the defender, told the newspaper “Welt am Sonntag”: “Jérôme has been playing for FC Bayern for over nine years and has twice become a triple winner during this time. He is a very important player. In the past season he has reached a level that few would have thought him capable of. He has put the focus more on his performance again. With his attitude he has helped us a lot. You can’t write such a player off.”
The Bayern leadership has registered the disgruntlement of Hansi Flick, who sees his work threatened by the disruptive fires of squad planning (previously with the withdrawal of David Alaba’s contract offer).
The leadership is trying to calm the matter down in public. Even before the home game against Werder Bremen (1:1), sports director Hasan Salihamidzic had said: “We all know that Jérôme has a running contract until June 30, 2021. We will meet with him and his management at a reasonable time and make a fair decision for everyone.”
Nevertheless, there have not been any talks with Boateng about a future so far.
Sport1’s Florian Plettenberg also chimed in with his own report on Boateng and the rest of the team’s high-profile defenders. David Alaba’s status remains “unclear”, while Niklas Süle is not 100% to extend his deal, and Javi Martinez will be moving on:
Update #Boateng: Kahn has confirmed yesterday what we have also mentioned right after other reports: A contract extension is possible. By the way: Why not? It’s November! Unclear: Alaba. Not at 100%: Süle. Will go: Martínez. Right now the most constant defender: Boateng. @SPORT1
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) November 26, 2020
So, while there has not been any formal discussion, it would appear (if true) that Boateng is at least being discusses as a possibility for the roster after this season, while the respective status of both Alaba and Süle remains uncertain.