Bayern Munich preparing final bid for Manchester City’s Jerome Boateng – report

Jerome Boateng

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Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are reportedly preparing to return to Manchester City with an improved offer for Jerome Boateng, who they see as the ideal candidate to strengthen their leaky defence.

Bavarian newspaper TZ claim that the Bayern hierarchy will assemble in the next few days and put together a new and improved bid for the former Hamburg player. Should that be rejected, the club will then explore alternative options, as Christian Nerlinger indicated over the weekend.

Bayern are thought to have bid €12 million (£10.8m), with City believed to be demanding closer to €20m (£18.1m), but reports last week suggested that an agreement in the region of €15m (£13.5m) could be reached between the two parties.

The player himself reiterated his long-held belief that the two clubs will eventually find common ground, allowing Boateng to fulfil his objective of returning to his native Germany and ply his trade for the Bundesliga’s biggest club.

“I think both clubs will talk to each other again in the next few days,” he said.

“I hope that they will then find an agreement. I will hold another meeting with Manchester City officials on Tuesday but I have already made my point clear. I cannot be any clearer – I want to join Bayern.

“I want to join as soon as possible. I hope that this will be resolved quickly and that both parties will come to an agreement.”

In the event that Bayern fail to capture the versatile defender, who can play anywhere across the back line, they will look elsewhere. Chelsea defender Alex and Barcelona’s Gabriel Milito have been mentioned as possible candidates to fill the gap in central defence.