Richard Hughes can pull off Liverpool bargain transfer in January as 'target' makes intentions clear

Germany international Jonathan Tah has declared he will be leaving Bayer Leverkusen at the end of his contract.

Tah has spent the majority of his career at Die Werkself - and was part of the unimaginable 2023-24 season. Under Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen won their maiden Bundesliga title without losing a game. They were also crowned DFB-Pokal winners and lost their only match of the campaign to Atalanta in the Europa League final.

The centre-back was linked with several clubs in the summer transfer window - with one being Liverpool. It was Bayern Munich who were the frontrunners to sign Tah, with his BayArena contract entering the final year.

However, the 28-year-old remained at Leverkusen, who are back in the Champions League this term and have managed to keep Alonso in the hot seat after interest from Liverpool and Bayern. But Tah has declared that he wants a fresh challenge. Speaking to German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, he said: “I’m not gonna sign a new deal at Bayer Leverkusen. My decision is made. I will give my best until the end here and then we will see about my future club. But my decision is to go and try different experience”

Tah will likely be in high demand as he will be a free agent. He’s a regular for Germany and made four appearances in their run to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. And should the ex-Hamburger SV defender want to move abroad, he can sign a pre-contract agreement in January. FIFA rules allow talks for players out of contract on 30 June at begin talks with clubs across borders from the new year.

Liverpool famously signed Joel Matip on a free transfer from German side Schalke in the summer of 2016. The centre-back was part of Jurgen Klopp’s side that won seven major trophies including the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League the following year. James Milner was also recruited for nothing from Manchester City the previous year and played an integral role in the trophy-laden period as the Reds re-established their position among Europe’s elite.