Jérôme Boateng is one of the biggest names in the Bundesliga and the German national team. Recent reports claim that Real Madrid are among a host of interested parties who could win over the 29-year-old’s signature for a price of £50m.
Boateng plies his trade for Bayern Munich and was a key figure in his country’s World Cup triumph in 2014. He has spent the last 7 seasons with the Bavarians and has racked up over 250 appearances.
He is a domineering figure in the backline and is capable of doing almost everything. Boateng’s distribution abilities allow him to make a significant impact from the right-back position as well.
The 6 feet 4 inches centre-back started his professional career with Hertha BSC and even spent a season with Manchester City.
He was purchased by the current Premier League leaders for £10m from Hamburger SV. Boateng was unhappy with his role on the right-back and insisted on a transfer to Bayern. Coming into the Allianz, the Berlin-born player was slow in his early years but later established himself as one of the best defenders in European football.
Pep Guardiola was highly admirable of the 29-year-old who has held his first-team spot despite facing heavy competition from a bunch of incoming players. Boateng is poised to represent his country for the 69th time in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and might just be in the market for a probable transfer.
Any team might benefit from the Bayern enforcer’s signature but is Real one of them? The Galacticos already have Sergio Ramos in the club along with a young Raphael Varane. Their domestic seasonal woes have been due to some incompetence at the back but not entirely blamable.
Sergio Ramos still going strong at 31 and is an able leader at the back. Varane is a brilliant centre-half partner who is a jack of all trades. Secondary options Nacho Fernandez and Jesus Vallejo might have been questionable in recent times and is almost incomparable to the brilliance of Boateng.
It will be highly unlikely for the Bayern Munich centre-back to make his way to Santiago Bernabeu without either of the starting duo making a club exit. But then again, Madrid’s financial capabilities cannot be ruled out either.
Their troubles in the domestic stage have faced heavy criticism along with the current management. While new signings are being touted around in the media, a major overhaul of world-class talents should be expected for the summer.
