As the summer transfer window nears its conclusion, FC Barcelona is in a race against time to strengthen their squad due to several key injuries. The Catalan club has been linked with Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah as a potential solution to their defensive woes. However, Leverkusen’s top brass has made it clear that Tah will not be leaving the club this summer.
Reports from Spain suggested that Barcelona had tabled a €20 million offer for the German international, who has also attracted interest from Bayern Munich. Barcelona’s pursuit of Tah was driven by injuries to their defensive line, with Andreas Christensen and Eric Garcia out and Ronald Araujo sidelined until December. The club’s midfield has also been hit, with Marc Bernal’s injury exposing a lack of depth, pushing Barcelona to seek reinforcements in both defense and midfield.
Despite the speculation, Bayer Leverkusen’s sporting director Simon Rolfes has decisively shut down any talk of a transfer. In a recent interview with SkyDE, Rolfes confirmed that there had been no discussions with Barcelona or Bayern Munich regarding Tah’s departure. “I’m expecting Jonathan Tah to stay. I had no call with Bayern or Barça recently,” Rolfes stated, adding, “There is no news at all regarding a deal, so I expect him to stay.”
This stance was supported by Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, who earlier this week expressed his confidence that Tah would remain with the team. Alonso praised Tah’s focus and maturity, stating, “We are calm. Tah is a mature player and is focused. We are not contemplating any moves.”
For Barcelona, this development throws a wrench in their transfer plans. With limited time and financial constraints due to Financial Fair Play regulations, the club will need to explore other options quickly if they are to address the pressing issues in their squad.
As the transfer window inches closer to closing, it appears that Jonathan Tah will remain a Bayer Leverkusen player, leaving Barcelona to search for alternative solutions to bolster their defense and midfield.
