Liverpool are reportedly eyeing a move for Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season.
The 29-year-old German international is expected to conclude his decade-long stint with Leverkusen in June, having turned down multiple contract offers from the 2024 Bundesliga champions. Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo suggests that Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, and Barcelona are all keen on securing the central defender’s services should he depart Xabi Alonso‘s side this summer.
Tah has racked up nearly 400 appearances for Leverkusen since his transfer from Hamburg in 2015, and has also earned 34 caps for the German national team. Following Liverpool’s 4-0 Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen in November, Arne Slot lauded Tah as “one of the best defender in Germany.”
Luis Diaz’s second-half hat-trick was enough to secure the win against Leverkusen at Anfield, and Slot disclosed that his decision to utilize the Colombian as a false nine was influenced by Tah’s quality.
“A few things… I only have four attackers available at the moment with the injuries of Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa, and Darwin [Nunez] didn’t play that much in the beginning and then he started to play a bit more,” explained the Dutch manager when questioned about his choice to deploy Diaz in an unfamiliar central role.
“With this fixture list, it’s almost impossible to play them all, especially if you haven’t played that many games before.
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“So, that in combination with the fact that I think Tah, who is a real good defender and is one of the best defenders in Germany… maybe the best defender in Germany, maybe likes to play more against a target man, someone who’s there in the middle.
Slot went on to add: “We chose to play Lucho more from the left or the midfield and then maybe surprise him afterwards with runs in behind – not only him but in general. If you look at the first goal, that played out – what a pass from Curtis Jones.”
Regarding Liverpool’s potential transfer activity, it has been suggested that the Reds could be eyeing a new defender in the upcoming window, with questions lingering over Virgil van Dijk’s future amid contract renewal talks.
