Bayern Munich have opted not to bring back former Germany defender Jérôme Boateng, with the Bavarian giants saying Friday that their other injury worries in the squad had eased.
The 35-year-old Boateng had been training with the team this week and sporting director Christoph Freund said Tuesday that it would be a "nice story" if he re-signed for the club where he twice won a Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup treble (in 2013 and 2020). Altogether, he won nine Bundesliga titles with the club.
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But Bayern said Friday "the personnel situation in the center of defense has eased" after all four of the team's central defenders missed the German Cup win over Preussen Münster on Sept. 26 because of injuries.
Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-Jae were "playing without pain again, while Matthijs de Ligt is also well on the road to recovery," the club said.
Boateng left Bayern in 2021 for Lyon and is not under contract at any club after leaving the French team in the offseason.
Bayern said Boateng "presented himself in good physical condition" and that "as a distinguished former player, he has been offered the chance to continue to maintain his fitness at the club."
Boateng's potential return had been opposed by some Bayern fans because of a domestic abuse case involving his ex-wife. Boateng was convicted of assault and ordered to pay €1.2 million ($1.27m) to his former partner in November 2022. That decision was recently overturned because of legal errors and the process must be restarted.