Bayern Munich received a significant boost to their preparations for the Club World Cup on Friday. The Bavarian club will have Jonathan Tah available for selection after the German defender completed a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen.
Fabrizio Romano first reported late on Friday evening that Bayern have reached an agreement with Leverkusen for Tah’s early release from his contract. The German international’s contract at Leverkusen ends on June 30, but Die Roten have negotiated a fee to have him available for the first Club World Cup game on June 15.
According to Sky Sports in Germany and Bild, Bayern have agreed to a fixed fee worth €800k. The fee could rise further depending on how Bayern perform in the Club World Cup. Tah will join the squad in training once he returns from national duty next week.
Considering the numbers quoted in the media (€5-7 million) for the early release of Tah, Max Eberl and Christoph Freund have done a decent job of reaching an agreement with Leverkusen on a basic six-figure fee.
🚨🔴⚪️ EXCL: Bayern and Bayer Leverkusen agree fee for Jonathan Tah to play the FIFA Club World Cup with Bayern.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 6, 2025
Deal in place, paperwork ready and then time to sign all documents in order to fly to the US. pic.twitter.com/NZNKD9MGFu
Tah likely to go straight in the starting XI
Tah's immediate arrival is welcome news for Bayern, as they are currently facing injury problems in the heart of their defense. Kim Min-jae is expected to miss the tournament since he is still facing problems with his Achilles tendon. Dayot Upamecano has returned to training, but Die Roten will look to carefully integrate him into the starting XI since he is returning from a long layoff.
As things stand, Josip Stanisic is going to start in the heart of defense against Auckland City on June 15. Since Tah is currently fit, he will play with the Croatian defender. The German international is likely to play all the Club World Cup games due to the injury crisis at Bayern.
Bayern are not expected to make any further additions in central defense until there is a significant departure. Kim Min-jae is a candidate for sale, but there has been next to no movement on his future until now. The South Korean defender struggled for form in the second half of the season due to Achilles tendon issues.
Die Roten will turn their attention towards strengthening the attacking options. In an ideal scenario, they reach an agreement over a new deal with Leroy Sane before the start of the Club World Cup. They are looking to get a sizeable fee for Kingsley Coman and reinvest in a high-potential left winger.