Bayern Munich has entered the final stages of negotiations for the free-agent signing of Jonathan Tah (29, Bayer Leverkusen).
'The Athletic' reported on the 13th (Korea time) that "Jonathan Tah is in concrete negotiations to join Bayern Munich as a free agent when his contract with Bayer Leverkusen expires this summer."
Tah excels in one-on-one defense against attackers, utilizing his quick feet despite his large size. He has recorded a top speed of 35.81 km/h and is considered one of the fastest players among Bundesliga center-backs.
It's not just speed. Tah also has an excellent ability to block passing lanes with intelligent positioning. Additionally, he possesses high-accuracy long-range passing skills, making him a versatile player capable of contributing to build-up play from the back.
Tah has gained the favor of coach Xabi Alonso. After consistently playing for Bayer Leverkusen since the 2015-2016 season, Tah has emerged as a top-tier center-back in the league, leading the team to its first-ever league title and its first undefeated championship in the Bundesliga for the 2023-2024 season.
In this context, Bayern Munich showed interest in Tah early on. Last April, Sky Sports Germany reported that, based on their investigation, Bayern is aiming to sign Tah, having been impressed by his performances this season. He can play in both a three-back and four-back setup and is one of the fastest defenders in the Bundesliga.
In April, coinciding with that report, Tah publicly announced that he would leave Bayer Leverkusen after this season. 'The Athletic' reported that "if the deal goes through, he will sign a three-year contract with Bayern, with an option for an additional year."
The media noted that "Tah received interest from Bayern last summer, but the transfer fell through due to the €30 million transfer fee (about 46.29 billion won) requested by Bayer Leverkusen at that time."
Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are also said to have shown interest in signing Tah. The media pointed out that "Barcelona has reached a verbal agreement with Tah, while Real Madrid received a transfer proposal months ago but ultimately declined it."
'The Athletic' stated that "Bayern is looking to strengthen their back line as Eric Dier is set to leave on a free transfer to AS Monaco this summer," and noted that "Tah, who is the vice-captain of Bayer Leverkusen, has played a total of 401 matches at BayArena over the last ten seasons. In particular, in the 2023-2024 season, he played a key role in achieving a treble, including the Bundesliga's undefeated championship. He has appeared in 48 matches this season alone," highlighting his consistent performances.
Last weekend, Tah's home match against Borussia Dortmund (a 2-4 loss) was the last home game at Bayer Leverkusen. After the match, he took the microphone to bid farewell to the home fans.
According to Germany's 'Bild,' he reportedly said, "On one hand, I feel heartbroken, and on the other, I am looking forward to the new journey ahead." He added, "I deeply appreciate the love and support shown by the fans over the last ten years."
The signing of Tah by Bayern is also expected to impact Kim Min-jae, as their positions overlap. Both Tah and Kim primarily use their right foot. However, Kim can also perform well as a left center-back, and Tah has shown more stability in defense than Kim, so the combination of the two players is likely to work out well.
Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen is also facing the departure of coach Xabi Alonso. Alonso officially announced on the 9th that he would leave the team after the season. Leverkusen is expected to finish this season in 2nd place, and Alonso is heading to Real Madrid.
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