According to reports, Premier League champions Manchester City are targeting a move for Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng this summer. Bayern Munich are ready to listen to offers in the region of €50million to €60million.
City are reportedly keen to add another central defender this summer which could tempt Pep Guardiola to reunite with Boateng, having worked with him at Bayern. But City have to fight for Boateng’s signature with rivals Manchester United, who are also interested in the German international.
Boateng, 29, who is currently in Russia with his national team for the World Cup, has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Bundesliga. Bayern Munich won the historic treble in 2013 and Boateng played a key role for that team. He progressed well under Pep Guardiola and became a more complete centre-back.
The German was tipped to improve even further as he was entering the prime years of his career. However, the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti at Bayern changed the whole scenario for Boateng.
It was never a happy marriage between Boateng and Ancelotti as the defender struggled with injuries following the 2016 European Championships, missing the start of the season with a muscle problem. He later damaged his shoulder and that limited him to just 19 matches in the Bundesliga.
But after Bayern hired Jupp Heynckes to replace Carlo Ancelotti, Boateng suddenly got back to his best after slowly regaining his form. Boateng and Mats Hummels formed a very good partnership for Germany in 2014 and they slowly brought a similar level of understanding at Bayern this past season.
While Hummels has been the Bavarian club’s best defender last season, Boateng was not much behind his compatriot.
Boateng may be 29 years of age and injury-prone but the German international would be the perfect signing for City in the summer transfer window. The centre-back failed to make an impact in the Premier League in his initial spell with City but Boateng is, without doubt, one of the best in his position in the world and who better than Guardiola to know it.
Being comfortably two-footed is one of the key assets a top-level centre-back needs in the modern game. Very few players in the world do it better than Boateng in bringing the ball out from the back and starting an attack.
Without the ball, the German is sturdy and tough. Fast, agile and strong as a bull, Boateng is almost unbeatable in one-on-one situations.
Vincent Kompany has been constantly plagued by various injuries in his illustrious career and it is high time City get a replacement for their ailing skipper.
While Boateng may not be a long-term Kompany replacement, he could do the job on a short-term basis for City. Also, adding Boateng would give Guardiola the cover that is required to challenge in the Premier League and the Champions League next term.
Guardiola knows Boateng in and out and signing him would provide some much-needed cover in the defence, as well as a winning mentality that would push City towards retaining the title.
Boateng, who played just 16 games for City in 2010/11 campaign, has an unfinished business in England that could tempt him to make a move back to Manchester. With Guardiola at the helm, Boateng can take City to a very different level next campaign.