Kevin-Prince Boateng has confirmed he will end his playing career at Hertha Berlin after rejoining his boyhood club ahead of the 2021/22 Bundesliga campaign.
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The Ghana international has signed a one-year contract with Hertha, where he made his professional debut back in 2005 after leaving Serie B side, AXC Monza after failing to propel the club to the topflight.
After returning to the club, the 34-year-old is itching for one final hurrah in the German capital.
“I still can’t believe it, it’s a dream come true,” Boateng told German daily Bild of his return to Hertha.
“We started discussions about 18 months ago, then Fredi [Bobic] came in [as managing director for sport]. I told him: ‘I only have one dream – I want to pull on the Hertha shirt at the Olympiastadion one more time.’ Fredi said: ‘Let’s do everything to make that dream a reality.
“I don’t know how long it’ll last, but it’ll be enough for me. It’s definitely my last club.”
Despite being a Serie A, La Liga and DFB Cup winner, Boateng doesn’t expect to simply walk into Pal Dardai’s first-choice XI.
“I know I have to knuckle down,” the former Ghana international explained. “The Bundesliga’s a more athletic league than it was, the lads are younger – they don’t stop running. Luckily, my positional play is good (laughs).
“There are some talented players here, but it’s a young team that needs leadership. I know all too well that talent alone isn’t enough. I learnt that, especially in Milan. The dressing room was full of superstars. That’s when I knew that if you don’t work hard, you won’t play.
“I certainly haven’t come here and said: ‘I’m Prince Boateng, I have to play every game.”
Boateng also revealed he took a call from Bayern Munich legend and former Fiorentina teammate Franck Ribery, shortly after putting pen to paper at Hertha.
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“Franck called me, and told me to wrap up warm,” he said, having played alongside the Frenchman during the first half of the 2019/20 Serie A campaign.
“He’s in great shape for his age, and has shown in Italy that he’s still among the best. If Hertha ever wants him, I only have good things to say about him. But I’m not in charge. I don’t know what Fredi has planned. Lionel Messi is also a free agent (laughs).”
Boateng has over 420 competitive club appearances – including 129 in the Bundesliga – and two FIFA World Cups, the all-action midfielder returns to his former stomping ground as one of the most experienced players in the German top flight.
As well as lending a guiding hand to some of Hertha’s younger players, he also hopes to steer the Berliners back into Europe and, in a perfect world, to a home DFB Cup final.
“Hertha want to be playing in Europe in the future. For that, you need experience and a deep squad. Everyone’s working towards that,” Boateng said.
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“As for the DFB Cup final in Berlin, we all had that dream when I was here at 17. We all talked about it, but perhaps it’s best not to. That way, it’ll be a nice surprise for us all.”
Boateng has played for Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund, Portsmouth, Genoa, AC Milan, Schalke, Las Palmas, Eintracht Frankfurt, Sassuolo, Barcelona, Fiorentina, Besiktas and Monza.