Sports director Christoph Freund has announced a timely decision by FC Bayern Munich regarding the return of ex-national player Jérôme Boateng. “Yes, that would be our goal. We should add him straight away and not wait too long. I think there will be a decision at the end of this week,” said Freund on Monday at Munich Airport before the Bayern team’s departure for the Champions League game at FC Copenhagen this Tuesday (9 p.m.).
The 2014 world champion without a club could alleviate Bayern’s squad shortage in the central defender position. According to Freund, the two-time treble winner with FC Bayern would have a “role as back-up” for the currently injured Matthijs de Ligt (24), Dayot Upamecano (24) and Min-jae Kim (26). “We have seen that we are rather thinly positioned there,” admitted Freund. “It would be his role to support the team as a back-up and – if necessary – he could then step in.”
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In the 4-0 win in the DFB Cup against Preußen Münster, all three regular central defenders were missing due to injuries, so midfielder Leon Goretzka (28) and full-back Noussair Mazraoui (25) had to help out in the defense center. Kim came from Naples in the summer for 50 million euros, but at the same time Lucas Hernández (27; PSG), Benjamin Pavard (27; Inter), Daley Blind (33; Girona) and Josip Stanisic (23; on loan to Leverkusen) left ) the club.
Friend: Boateng’s “private story is not a big issue” for FC Bayern
When asked about the non-sporting headlines surrounding Boateng regarding his trial for alleged violent attacks against his ex-girlfriend, Freund said: “Our approach is to what is best for FC Bayern in terms of sport.” The verdict in the trial against Boateng has been overturned and The proceedings were suspended, the 46-year-old remarked: “That’s why it’s his private story and not a big issue for us.”
Boateng trained with FC Bayern for the first time on Sunday. The defender is also scheduled to train at Säbener Straße in the coming days. “And then we will have another conversation with him. And then we’ll see what the best decision can be for everyone involved,” said Freund. A contract until the end of the season is under discussion. Bayern first have to bridge the time until the winter transfer period. Signings of players without a club are possible until the end of the transition period. At Olympique Lyon, where Boateng moved after his end at Munich, he did not get a new contract after last season.
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