Bayern Munich had Bayer Leverkusen center-back Jonathan Tah on their transfer target list for much of the summer leading up to the window, but a deal never materialized. The two clubs couldn’t agree on terms for the towering defender to join the Rekordmeister, and the blame has been placed on Leverkusen’s front office for refusing to let Tah leave, despite Bayern’s clear interest.
Funds from a potential sale of Kingsley Coman were earmarked to help finance the Tah transfer, but the French winger rejected lucrative offers from the Saudi Pro League to remain in Munich. In terms of defensive reinforcements, Bayern ended up only bringing in Hiroki Ito from VfB Stuttgart, who has been sidelined with an injury since mid-preseason training camp in Tegernsee.
According to Sky Sport journalist Florian Plettenberg, Tah is still likely to leave Leverkusen next summer, possibly on a free transfer. His contract expires on June 30, 2024, which means he can, in theory, sign a pre-contract with another club as early as the January transfer window.
Leverkusen is already resigned to Tah’s departure, with no plans for a contract renewal, despite missing out on what could have been a substantial transfer fee from Bayern last summer.
Per Plettenberg, Bayern still maintains interest in Tah, though it remains unclear whether they will make a move for him in the summer or attempt to secure a deal in the winter. However, they now face competition from other top clubs, including Barcelona and several Premier League sides, all eager to acquire Tah’s services after Leverkusen’s remarkable season and Germany’s decent showing at the EUROs.
