Boateng admits Bayern exits reports ‘surprised’ him

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng admits that he is “surprised” to be the subject of reports that suggest that he will leave the club at the end of the season.

The 32-year-old centre-back has a contract that expires in June, but had recently indicated his willingness to stay at the Allianz Arena club beyond that term.

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However, reports in the German media suggested that FCB will look to release him in the summer. That news comes as a shock to the player.

“Nobody approached me, nobody spoke to me, I didn’t know anything about it, I was surprised,” he told Suddeutsche Zeitung.

Boateng out, Upamecano in at Bayern Munich?

It has been suggested that Bayern are lining up a bid for RB Leipzig centre-back Dayot Upamecano. They are unlikely to get things their own way in that pursuit as Liverpool have also been associated with the Frenchman. The Reds are interested after injuries to Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk.

Boateng, meanwhile, has been a stalwart for Bayern since arriving at the club in 2011 from Manchester City. He has been part of two Champions League-winning sides, including the one that overcame Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in August. Additionally, he has won the Bundesliga on eight occasions.

The German remains a central player to Hansi Flick’s plans and has featured in all but one of the club’s domestic league fixtures this season. He has been used more sparingly on the continent, and has played in only one of three Champions League outings.

Flick is facing a period of uncertainty with regards his rearguard. The versatile David Alaba is out of contract next June and the current arm wrestle between the two parties is locked in a stalemate, which suggests that the Austria international could be on his way come the summer.

Bayern currently top the Bundesliga table on 18 points after seven games. They are two clear of Leipzig and three ahead of Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.