By 90min | Created at 2025-04-02 15:50:20 | Updated at 2025-04-03 23:46:35
1 day ago
Barcelona's free transfer approach for Jonathan Tah is described as now being put "on hold" and "not encouraging" for the German centre-back.
Tah has spent a decade with Bayer Leverkusen, winning a historic Bundesliga title with the club last season. But while a 2024 transfer fell through after failure to agree a fee with Bayern Munich, the 29-year-old will shortly become a free agent when his contract expires.
Barcelona, who showed interest last summer, have long been considered favourites to secure Tah's signature. But it isn't as straightforward as recruiting a player who wants to join them.
SPORT writes that due to financial limitations still having an impact, Tah remains in limbo. An agreement between the two parties is thought to have already been reached, but Barcelona aren't likely to have the capacity for five centre-backs in the squad next season.
Tah has spent a decade with Bayer Leverkusen / Christof Koepsel/GettyImages
It means shedding existing players, with Andreas Christensen and Eric Garcia the obvious candidates. But even by getting rid of those two, a centre-back trio of Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi and Ronald Araujo is strong enough that recruitment efforts could still target other positions.
The key to the situation appears to be Araujo. The Uruguayan signed a new contract recently, but it came with a relatively low release clause that would facilitate a sale should he be willing to leave – the lack of a consistent role since returning from long-term injury could push him to the exit.
From Tah's perspective, he is being forced to consider alternative 'plan B' options. As it stands, he has been willing to delay and gamble on Barcelona being able to free up the room for him. It is suggested that the club could offer some kind of gesture, as was the case when Ilkay Gundogan signed in 2023, whereby Tah could be released if he isn’t registered to play by a certain date.
The Germany international is not likely to be generally short of suitors. In the Premier League, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur were linked with a move last month.
