Arsenal, Chelsea on alert as Bayern confirm star departure
Bayern Munich have confirmed that they will not be extending Jerome Boateng’s contract when it expires at the end of the season.
The 32-year-old has won eight Bundesliga titles, five DFB-Pokal trophies and two Champions Leagues in his decade-long stint with the German giants.
But Bayern’s sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, revealed ahead of Bayern’s 3-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday that the club will not be offering him an extension.
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Speaking to Sky (via Bundesliga News) Salihamidzic said: “That was a joint decision of the club’s management and the coach was also involved in it.
“I explained it to Jerome, and he was very understanding.”
Boateng spent one season with Manchester City, making 16 Premier League appearances for the club before moving to the Bundesliga a year later.
With Bayern seven points clear at the top of the German top-flight, it looks set to be nine league medals for Boateng before he says his goodbyes.
Both Arsenal and Chelsea are keen to add to their centre-back options, but Boateng’s reported wage demands – said to be £210,000-a-week at Bayern as it stands – could prove to be a stumbling block.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta has moved to defend Arsenal’s transfer policy with the club coming under criticim.
“Well first of all I think you have to set some very clear principles that you want to achieve and the processes that are going to be in place to try to minimise the risk every time we get a player.
“Because it’s like a bet. There are a lot of things that we cannot control and a lot of things that we don’t know how they are going to act.
“But if we have the right processes, and we have the right principles to apply for every single player that walks in through our door to our club, then I think we are in a much better place to make a lot of good decisions.
“When I said to you about the squad balance, it is something that is related to recruitment. First of all the squad has to look in good balance, in good shape, in good health.
“And then you can talk about taking the squad into a different level, improving the recruitment, improving the quality of the squad in the individual and specific positions that we want.
“But as well, part of that recruitment – and it’s huge at this club – is our youth.
“And I am so proud as well with the work that is being done throughout the club, all the coaches at all the stages, to have the quality and the talent that we have at the club.
“So we have to create a space within our squad to give the opportunity to start to fit our first team as well with young players. And that is the key for our future.”