Jerome Boateng: I Am Staying At Hamburg

Fresh from winning the European U-21 Championship with Germany, Hamburg defender Jerome Boateng has reacted to rumours linking him with a move away from the club by insisting he is staying with the Rothosen.

The 20-year-old has had his name recently linked with both Inter Milan and Chelsea, but will definitely be at the HSH Nordbank Arena next season.

Boateng is currently on holiday following the European Under-21 triumph in Sweden, but will start pre-season training with Hamburg in two weeks time. 

"I am 100% staying at Hamburg.  I want to develop here at HSV," Boateng is quoted as saying in Bild. 

He also spoke of his delight at winning the Under-21 Championship and revealed he was confident all the way through the competition.

"It was the biggest experience of my life.  But I believed right form the start that we could do it.  We were the best Under-21 team that Germany has had in the past few years with lots of experienced players, who are regulars with their clubs."

Following a superb tournament where he played in the centre of defence, Boateng is now hoping to be given the chance to play there in the Bundesliga.

"I’ll play where the trainer picks me, but centre-back is my favourite position.  I want to show what I can do in training and achieve something with the club," he concluded.

Mathew Burt, Goal.com