They say no news is sometimes good news. But perhaps not in Manchester United’s reported pursuit of ‘one of the world’s best defenders’, Ruben Amorim looking to plug the holes in the Red Devils’ leaking hull.
It is easy to forget that, just two years ago, David de Gea claimed the Premier League’s Golden Glove award. Manchester United kept the most clean sheets in the entirety of the division during Erik ten Hag’s promising debut season at the helm.
Flash forward to May 2025, and the Red Devils’ miserly tally of nine falls short of even Everton and Crystal Palace.
Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans are leaving. Matthijs de Ligt remains injury prone.
And as Leny Yoro faces a race against time for the Europa League final next week, reports suggesting that Man United are stepping up their pursuit of Jonathan Tah may have been greeted with much optimism amid an unhappy fanbase.
Labelled ‘one of the best defenders in the world’ by Bayer Leverkusen’s Santiago Bernabeu-bound head coach Xabi Alonso, Tah was a colossus at the heart of a 2024 Bundesliga-winning backline.
His form has dipped since then, like many in a previously overachieving Leverkusen squad. Still, amid suggestions that Man United are looking to bring in Jonathan Tah on a free transfer when his contract expires, the experienced Germany international may still have been a very welcome addition to an error-prone defence.
Fabrizio Romano provides Jonathan Tah update after Manchester United claim
Though, providing an update on the Tah situation via his official YouTube channel, it feels telling that the all-knowing doyen of transfer news Fabrizio Romano made no mention of Manchester United when discussing Jonathan Tah’s potential destinations.
Just days after the Sunday Mirror claimed that United were growing ‘increasingly confident’ of winning the race for one-time Hamburg prospect Tah, Romano describes this as a race in which Bayern Munich are comfortably at the front of.
Barcelona have backed away from Tah, with Eric Garcia, Ronald Araujo, Thomas Christiansen, Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi all expected to stay in Catalonia. Real Madrid – Xabi Alonso’s new employers – are in the mix but have other priority targets.
So it is Bayern, once again raiding a direct rival for one of their star performers, who appear to hold Tah’s fate in a vice-like grip. As for Manchester United, well they don’t even get a mention.
“Barcelona are not going for Jonathan Tah, not because of Financial Fair Play problems but because they have many centre-backs,” Romano begins.
“In December or November, they thought a defender was going to leave. This is not happening at this stage. This is why Barcelona have not closed the deal for Jonathan Tah. That is why Barcelona are not proceeding but Bayern are advancing.
“[At the Allianz Arena, there is] a three-year deal on the table. Jonathan Tah was already keen on joining Bayern one year ago. Bayern are now pushing to get the deal done, waiting for the final answer of the player.
“Bayern want the deal to happen before the Club World Cup because Eric Dier will go to Monaco.”
Real Madrid could raid Arsenal or Liverpool amid Leny Yoro link
As for Los Blancos, Romano explains that, one year after Man United snatched Leny Yoro from under Real Madrid’s nose, the Spanish giants are growing desperate to sign an elite central defender.
Tah too has been linked, partly because of that Alonso connection. Man United will be hoping, for a number of reasons, that Real instead look to pursue a raid of Arsenal or Liverpool while leaving others to fight it out for the Leverkusen giant.
Speculation in Spain has again linked Yoro with a move to Madrid. Albeit seemingly baseless speculation, at a time when Yoro describes playing for Man United as a dream come true.
Just to alley any lingering fears, Romano makes no mention of Yoro in his Thursday update either, with Real Madrid instead placing three other Premier League defenders on their wishlist.
“Real Madrid will go to sign a new centre-back in the summer transfer window,” Romano adds. “That is a decision made with the new coach Xabi Alonso. He has been very clear, he wants to proceed with a new centre-back and Real Madrid have accepted this.
“Real Madrid have decided to go very strong on a centre-back. There are three main names on the Real Madrid list.
“One is William Saliba, the dream target. But the deal remains complicated because Arsenal have no intention of letting the player go. They know Real Madrid are pushing but, for sure, Arsenal want to keep Saliba.
“Then another name Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool. There is still no full agreement on some crucial points [on his new Anfield deal]. Then, the other name is Dean Huijsen [of AFC Bournemouth].”
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