Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng has been forced to leave the club's pre-season tour for personal reasons, but manager Niko Kovac was full of praise for the German.
Boateng has been heavily linked with a move away from the club this summer, having struggled to hold down a permanent place in Kovac's lineup last season.
In a post on their official website, Bayern gave no hint as to why Boateng has left the pre-season tour, citing "private reasons" as the cause of his premature departure on Sunday.
Speaking to the press (via Yahoo) after Bayern's 3-1 victory over Real Madrid, Kovac insisted that he has been incredibly impressed with what Boateng has brought to the side this summer.