Jerome Boateng, the experienced defender, found himself at a crossroads as his much-anticipated return to Bayern Munich took an unexpected nosedive during the summer transfer window.
The 32-year-old, poised for a reunion with the Bundesliga champions after the conclusion of his contract with Olympique Lyon, underwent rigorous training with Bayern as talks of his re-signing gained momentum.
However, in a twist that left football pundits astounded, the club ultimately opted against re-signing the Bayern veteran.
"On the contrary. I'm grateful that I was able to train and prove myself. Maybe that will pay off for me in the future. But I can say that I would have liked to have done it," Boateng said.
"I see myself going abroad in the future after things didn't work out with FC Bayern, preferably from the second half of the season onwards. Italy, Spain, I'm open to a lot of things," he added.