Bayern coach Flick expects Arsenal-linked Boateng to stay

Bayern Munich interim coach Hansi Flick expects Jerome Boateng to remain at the club despite strong links with Arsenal.

Boateng, 31, has been at the club since joining from Manchester City in 2011 and was first-choice at the back for the first few years.

But fitness problems began to have an impact in 2015-16 and he is yet to play more than 20 Bundesliga matches in a single season since.

This term Boateng has featured in nine of a possible 17 league matches and, with Bayern looking more towards young players in most areas of the team and Arsenal in need of defensive reinforcements, the experienced centre-back has been linked with a departure.

Flick has doubts about him leaving, however.

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“Jerome is a player of Bayern Munich and I will not concern myself with any rumours, that’s what I did the last years,” he told reporters.

“Jerome came back to training well-prepared, he prepared himself on holiday. So, I am curious what the next week will bring.

“But I will not concern myself with thoughts if he will leave the club or not. He didn’t say anything regarding that and we are constantly in an exchange.

“We have to see how these things develop, but right now I cannot picture it [Boateng leaving].”

Bayern are on their mid-season break and will not return to competitive action until January 19 when they visit Hertha Berlin, with the defending champions trailing leaders Borussia Monchengladbach and RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga title race.