Jonathan Tah signs for Bayern Munich, Barcelona misses defender

Jonathan Tah, the German center-back from Bayer Leverkusen, has decided to join Bayern Munich on a free transfer after his contract expires, beating interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid. Fabrizio Romano confirmed the agreement, with Bayern now negotiating with Leverkusen for Tah's early release to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup. Tah will sign a four-year deal with Bayern, reinforcing their defense following departures such as Eric Dier and amid uncertainty over players like Kim Min-jae. Barcelona, constrained by financial fair play, lost out on Tah despite having previously pursued him, and now must explore other defensive options, including free agents and emerging talents like Lille’s Alexsandro Ribeiro and Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez. Bayern’s acquisition of Tah reflects a strategic move to bolster their squad without a significant transfer fee, though the player is expected to receive a substantial salary. Meanwhile, Bayern is also involved in other transfer dealings, including pursuing Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma and competing with Liverpool for Florian Wirtz.