Tottenham have set their sights on a move for Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng this summer, according to Sky Germany.

What is the latest update on Boateng's future?

The 32-year-old is out of contract at the German champions this summer, and has been informed that the club will not be offering him a new deal. Therefore, he will become a free agent at the end of the season.

Spurs have already expressed their interest in signing the centre-back, and are believed to have held talks with the player.

Borussia Dortmund have also been linked with Boateng, but it is understood that it is unlikely that they will land Boateng due to his age and wage demands.

How has Boateng fared at Bayern?

Boateng has enjoyed an incredibly successful decade in Bavaria. He has won eight league titles, and the side are well-placed to make that nine this year.

He also has two Champions League winners' medals, the most recent of which came last year when Bayern edged out PSG 1-0 in the final.

On the international stage, he has not done too badly either. In 2014, he lifted the World Cup with Germany, featuring in every game of their successful campaign.

Although he may now be in his thirties, there is no doubting Boateng's resume as a superstar of the game.

How does he compare to Tottenham's current centre-backs?

When it comes to interceptions, Boateng stands head and shoulders above his Tottenham counterparts. As per WhoScored, the experienced defender has made 30 interceptions in the Bundesliga in 2020/21 - none of the Spurs centre-backs have made more than 19.

Boateng reads the game well, and is also impressive in possession. His pass success rate in the league this term stands at 87.7%. Joe Rodon (88.7%) is the only Tottenham central defender who has bettered that percentage.

Is Levy giving Mourinho what Woodward didn't?

In the 2018 summer transfer window, Jose Mourinho wanted to bring in a centre-back at Manchester United. The club were linked with Harry Maguire, but it appears Ed Woodward refused to approve a deal and the Red Devils' only major addition that summer ended up being midfielder Fred. 

Mourinho did not manage to bring in a senior defender, and paid the price when the season got underway. The side lost five of their first 17 league matches, and Mourinho was sacked in December.

Now, almost three years on, it seems that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is going to give Mourinho the top-level defender that he badly needs.

The Portuguese manager has tried a number of different defensive combinations this season, with very little success.

In the last two games, he has used three different centre-backs - Rodon, Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier - yet the team have still conceded five goals in those fixtures. In total, Spurs have conceded 35 Premier League goals this season, a greater number than Aston Villa. 

No matter what Mourinho tries, it doesn't seem to work, signalling that he needs a new high-quality addition to his backline this summer. The latest news surrounding Boateng suggests Levy is prepared to grant him just that.