Barcelona target confirms plan to seal summer free transfer | OneFootball

Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah has confirmed his plan to leave the club on a free transfer this summer, with Barcelona continuing to chase his signature.

Tah, a star of Leverkusen's 2023/24 Bundesliga triumph, was expected to leave the club last summer. Bayern Munich chased a deal but ultimately could not strike an agreement over a transfer fee, prompting Tah to admit he could leave on a free this year.

Most of the speculation has revolved around a move to Barcelona and a link-up with compatriot Hansi Flick, but there has also been plenty of interest from the Premier League in a player whose arrival on a free transfer would represent a significant bargain.

Standing firm on his decision to depart this summer, Tah confirmed on Sunday that he will walk away from the club when his contract expires.

"Definitely," he told reporters when asked about a summer exit.

"The club knows about it. And, as I have always done, I've communicated everything very openly. Everything was said from the beginning. There was a point when I made the decision not to extend my contract and not to stay here, and that's how it's going now."

Whether Barcelona will firm up their offer to Tah remains to be seen. It was viewed as a near-certainty in January but their ongoing registration issues - their salary cap has been reduced amid the continued Dani Olmo controversy - means finding space for the German is by no means a certainty.

Much could depend on outgoings. Former Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen is expected to be available for transfer and offers could be entertained for Eric Garcia and even Ronald Araujo, the latter of whom is thought to be available for around €65m (£55.7m) this summer.