Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has gone on record saying the team does not plan to revamp the squad this summer by spending as much money as they have over the last two off-seasons. The Red Devils have splashed huge cash to land the likes of Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Eric Bailly and others since the Portuguese manager was hired prior to the 2016-17 campaign.
While Mourinho has led United to a couple of trophies since taking the job, Premier League success has thus far proved elusive. While Mou says he wants to develop the players already in the squad, one would imagine United will still buy a few new players to solidify the squad once the window opens back up.
Could one of those be Bayern Munich central defender Jerome Boateng? Mourinho is reportedly displeased with the current crop of defenders at his disposal, so it would make sense for the team to invest in improving the last line of defense ahead of ace keeper David De Gea. Mourinho has reportedly soured on the likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof along the backline.
Finding the right sportsbook is obviously important in order to succeed in betting. It’s early, but most reputable books will tell you that United are a distant challenger to City ahead of the next Premier League campaign. Of course, an active summer could inch Mourinho’s side closer to their intracity rivals.
Boateng has literally nothing left to accomplish with Bayern. The decorated 29-year-old veteran has already won six Bundesliga titles, three German Cups and a Champions League since joining the German giants from Manchester City back in 2011.
Boateng has publicly hinted that now may be the time for a new challenge, so it would make sense for someone like United to show interest. The 2010-11 season with City remains the only season Boateng has played in England to this point. His lone campaign in the Premier League was rather unremarkable, as he was limited to just 16 appearances in a City shirt due to injury.
He wanted to return to Germany in order to boost his chances at featuring for the German national team, with which he won the 2014 World Cup. Boateng was also discouraged by being forced to play out of position at right back during his previous stint in Manchester with the Citizens. Moving to Bayern allowed him to move back to his standard role in central defense.
Boateng recently told Socrates magazine, “I experienced everything at FC Bayern. So now I certainly reach a point where I have to answer certain questions to myself: “What goals do I have that I did not reach yet? Do I want to prove myself always at the same club and always under the same circumstances?”
Boateng was forced off early due to injury in Bayern’s 2-1 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday. His season may be over as a result of the injury, and he now faces a race to be fit ahead of the upcoming World Cup in Russia. In an Instagram post, Boateng wrote, “Life is full of setbacks. Now it’s time to be in Russia. I will give everything for that.”
Might that Wednesday’s game have been Boateng’s last in a Bayern shirt? We’ll find out what the future holds this summer.
