Bayern Munich has decided against re-signing former German defender Jérôme Boateng, citing an improved injury situation in their squad.
The 35-year-old Boateng had been training with the team this week, and there was speculation about him rejoining the club where he had previously won multiple titles, including the Champions League, Bundesliga, and German Cup on two occasions (in 2013 and 2020). He had a total of nine Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich.
However, Bayern Munich stated on Friday that “the personnel situation in the center of defense has eased” since all four central defenders were unavailable for the German Cup match against Preussen Münster on September 26 due to injuries.
The club noted that Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae were now playing without pain, while Matthijs de Ligt was also progressing well in his recovery.
Boateng left Bayern in 2021 for Lyon and is currently not contracted to any club after leaving the French team in the offseason.
Bayern Munich mentioned that Boateng had “presented himself in good physical condition” and, as a former distinguished player, was offered the opportunity to continue maintaining his fitness at the club.
It’s worth noting that Boateng’s potential return had faced opposition from some Bayern fans due to his involvement in a domestic abuse case with his ex-wife. He was convicted of assault and ordered to pay 1.2 million euros to his former partner in November 2022. However, this decision was recently overturned due to legal errors, and the legal process must be restarted.
