KEY POINTS

  • Boateng passed up a big money from the Wolves to join Lyon
  • The Brazilian would have been a good addition to the Wolves
  • He seemingly wants a new challenge after spending years in the Premier League

At 33 years old, players would want security and peace of mind when selecting a team to play for.

In the case of Jerome Boateng, the decision to pass up a reported big salary offer from Wolverhampton and stick with Lyon is befuddling.

According to Bild, the center-back turned down a return to the English Premier League and joined Lyon instead.

It was suggested that Boateng was offered an unspecified but big salary offer to join the Wanderers.

With names like Jose Sa, Hwang Hee-Chan and Francisco Trincao already in the fray, playing time could be a reason behind Boateng’s decision.

But as far as the Wolves are concerned, they needed a physical number nine to join the fray.

Some players they had on the radar included Kieffer Moore and Renato Sanches. The closest they got to sign was an untested Yerson Mosquera.

Boateng would have been a good addition despite the off-field issues that Lyon has been notorious for.

Also, the German opted for a much-lower deal, further raising questions on why he elected to join Les Gones.

Aside from potential questions on the playing time he would get with Wolverhampton, another reason for Boateng would be to take on a new challenge.

Having played in the Premier League for quite some time, he may have felt that it is a time to take on a new challenge in Ligue 1.

Jerome Boateng
MAY 22: Jerome Boateng of Bayern Muenchen reacts during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern Muenchen and FC Augsburg at Allianz Arena on May 22, 2021 in Munich, Germany. After the Bavarian cabinet decided on first relaxations for outdoor events, the current Corona situation allows FC Bayern to have its last match of the season in front of 250 spectators in the Allianz Arena. Of these, 100 tickets are given to people from the health sector selected by the Ministry of Health. Photo by Stefan Matzke - sampics/Corbis via Getty Images

“I can’t wait to write a new chapter in my story. I can’t wait to meet my teammates. I know the team is young and I will try to bring my experience,” Boateng stated in a report from Goal. “I received other proposals but I quickly made up my mind. I thank the people who made sure that I came here. I have known the club for a long time, I have seen them play in the Champions League.”

Off the field, Boateng also has his share of legal issues. He was found guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend during an argument on holiday in 2018.

Boateng has been ordered to pay the mother of his twin daughters, Sherin Senler, £1.5 million ($2 million), BBC reported.

He denied these allegations and gave a different version of what happened at that time.

RELATED STORIES
Soccer