What’s the story?
Premier League champions Chelsea have got their eyes on Bayern Munich star centre-back Jerome Boateng as they look to bolster an ageing backline. The Blues manager Antonio Conte has reportedly enquired about the 28-year-old Bavarian but the German international doesn’t seem to be seeking a move away from the Allianz Arena.
In a recent interview, when asked about his future at Bayern, Boateng said, “I don’t have anything else planned. There are only a few clubs in the world with the appeal and tradition of Bayern Munich.”
In case you didn’t know...
Boateng has had his share of English football during his time at Manchester City. He was a part of the City squad which won the FA Cup in the 2010/11 season. Bayern signed the German international in July 2011 for €13.5 million on a four-year deal. The move saw Boateng return to Germany after his time at Hamburger SV.
The German who has since become a stalwart at the back for Bayern was also an essential part of the Germany National Team which lifted the World Cup in the year 2014. The five-time Bundesliga winner, however, made just 13 appearances for the Bavarians in the league this season due to injury.
The heart of the matter
However, it is believed that Conte has made Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk his primary target this summer. While the Saints look to hold on to the centre-back, Chelsea could shift their attention towards Boateng. The Saints are said to have valued Van Dijk in the region of €50 million.
With Terry now gone and the likes of Cahill and Luiz moving into the 30s, Conte will be looking for fresh blood in his backline. Defenders Kurt Zouma and Nathan Ake are also reportedly unsure about their future at Stamford Bridge and are finding first team football hard to get. The former is said to be targeted by Marseille while the latter is on the list for Bournemouth.
Also read: 5 transfer records that will be broken this summer
What's next?
With loanee Andreas Christensen returning to Chelsea, Conte's men will need another centre-back depending on whether the Dane makes the cut for the first team.However, it will certainly be a heck of move from the Blues if they are to get their hands on Boateng, who was the Footballer of the Year in Germany in 2015–16.
Author's take
After a disappointing season for the German giants, Ancelotti might look to shake thing up at Munich and we might see the Italian bringinig forth new core to the back line with new arrival Niklas Sule and Joshua Kimmich being the likely candidates towards being thrust into the first team.
Chelsea, on the other hand, are looking to bolster their squad ahead of next season's Champions League and Conte is believed to be keen on bringing four new faces to West London this summer. And if one of them turns out to be Boateng, it will certainly be a huge get for the Blues.
Also read: European Team of the Year for 2016/17: Do Ronaldo and Messi make the cut?
