Bayern Munich have prioritized adding a center-back to the squad once it became clear that Eric Dier will be leaving in the summer. The English defender has already signed a contract with Monaco. He is not expected to feature in Bayern’s squad for the Club World Cup.
With Dier leaving, Bayern reignited their interest in Jonathan Tah. The German defender is available on a free transfer after he decided against signing a new deal at Bayer Leverkusen. FC Barcelona had held concrete talks with Tah earlier this year, but Bayern have managed to hijack the deal.
According to Fabrizio Romano and Sky Sports in Germany, Jonathan Tah has agreed a four-year deal with Bayern. The German international has been given the green light to join Bayern despite significant interest from FC Barcelona. Real Madrid and Manchester United have also been linked with Tah in recent weeks.
Bayern had a long-standing interest in Tah. They tried to sign him last summer. After agreeing personal terms with the defender, Bayern couldn’t agree a fee with Bayer Leverkusen. There were suggestions that Die Roten had cooled interest in the player, but Dier’s departure and injuries to Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upamecano forced Bayern’s hand.
Bayern want Jonathan Tah for the Club World Cup
Tah’s contract with Bayer Leverkusen comes to an end on June 30. Considering injuries to several central defenders, Bayern want Tah to join later this month and be a part of the squad for next month’s Club World Cup.
Bayern will have to negotiate a nominal fee with Bayer Leverkusen for the early release of Tah. According to Kicker, Leverkusen want a seven-figure fee for releasing Tah before the end of his contract. The former Bundesliga champions are in no mood to make things easy for Bayern.
A seven-figure fee is steep for getting a player who has already completed the season and is just contractually bound for a month. However, Bayern would like Pini Zahavi (Tah’s agent) to resolve this issue and get Tah on board sooner rather than later.
Apart from Tah, Bayern are not actively looking for another central defender in the summer. Josip Stanisic is expected to get significant game time in the heart of defense next season. Another arrival in this position will depend on potential departures. Kim Min-jae’s future in Munich is far from certain. If the South Korean ends up leaving Bavaria in the summer, Bayern will have to enter the market for another central defender.