Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 9y

Bayern Munich stars must fight for place or leave - Jerome Boateng

Pep Guardiola has told his Bayern Munich players to accept rotation or leave the club before the end of the transfer window, according to defender Jerome Boateng.

Guardiola, who is under pressure to secure success in the Champions League as he enters the final year of his contract, has added Douglas Costa, Joshua Kimmich, Arturo Vidal and Pierre-Emerick Hojbjerg to his squad for this season.

Bastian Schweinsteiger has so far been the only significant departure, and competition will only intensify further when the likes of Thiago Alcantara, Arjen Robben, Javi Martinez, Franck Ribery and Holger Badstuber return to full fitness.

Guardiola has warned the players that anyone unwilling to fight for their place should move on this summer.

"The coach has said it several times: should someone not accept the situation, he's at the wrong club and can leave," Bayern defender Jerome Boateng said in kicker. "It does not matter who it is.

"We work as a team and have many world-class players in the squad, but we all have to pull together."

Mario Gotze fell down the pecking order last season and his agent said last month that the Germany midfielder moved the Allianz Arena because he wanted to play in big games and needed to be shown more support.

Bild has reported that he is open to a move to England or Spain, but the player himself has said he is happy at the club despite interest from Juventus and kicker reports that he plans to stay and fight for his place.

Bayern captain Philipp Lahm, who is set to rotate between midfield and right-back, said "not all players can be satisfied" with the situation but they must prove their worth on the field.

"The coach can only field 11 players," Lahm said. "The coach has also said that all of us have to produce performances out on the pitch. Things can go one way or the other, where a superstar finds himself on the bench."

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