Barcelona move for Bayern Munich defender Jonathan Tah looks unlikely

Barcelona’s hopes of signing Bayern Munich defender Jonathan Tah in the forthcoming winter transfer window have faded, despite the club’s interest in adding an experienced centre-back capable of making an immediate impact.

According to Carlos Monfort of Catalan newspaper Sport, Barcelona have made enquiries about Tah’s situation. Monfort’s familiarity with the Germany international and his strong relationship with the player’s representatives helped facilitate those discussions, but a transfer is not considered realistic at present.

Tah is not believed to be keen on leaving Bayern Munich for Barcelona, while the German club have no intention of parting with him or allowing him to depart in January.

Barcelona have been monitoring the 30-year-old for some time. They were interested in signing him during the summer of 2025, when his contract with Bayer Leverkusen was nearing its conclusion, but Bayern Munich won the race for his signature and brought him in on a free transfer.

Tah signed a contract with Bayern Munich until the summer of 2029 after joining the club in summer 2025.

Barcelona continue search for defensive cover

Barcelona sporting director Deco is looking for a centre-back with international experience and the physical qualities to form a partnership with young defender Pau Cubarsi. The club want to strengthen their options before the second half of the season, particularly because of absences and injuries affecting their defensive department.

The Catalan club are therefore considering a number of alternatives in the transfer market. Their intention is to find a defender who can provide immediate assistance without committing to an expensive deal that would be difficult to complete under the club’s financial restrictions.

The relationship between Barcelona and Tah’s representatives has not been enough to alter either the player’s position or Bayern Munich’s stance. Barcelona are consequently expected to turn their attention to other options for the winter window.

Tah moved to Bayern after a successful spell with Bayer Leverkusen, during which he helped the club win the Bundesliga title unbeaten in the 2023-2024 season. He also won the DFB-Pokal and the German Super Cup.

Since arriving in Munich, the defender has played a significant number of matches and become an important option in Bayern’s defence. He faces competition for the two centre-back positions from Dayot Upamecano and South Korea international Kim Min-jae.

Tah played in Germany’s most recent match, a 3-1 victory over Serbia in the fifth round of the UEFA Nations League group stage.

Germany are preparing to face the Netherlands in Berlin tomorrow, Monday. The match will be decisive for the Mannschaft’s UEFA Nations League prospects, with Germany competing against Greece for the group’s second qualification place in the quarter-finals. The Netherlands have, to a large extent, already secured the first qualification spot.