Liverpool could potentially have a ‘big advantage’ over rival suitors in the race for a prospective free transfer swoop in 2025.
That’s according to Christian Falk, who advised to ‘keep an eye on’ the Reds regarding a possible swoop for Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah next year, with his contract expiring in just under 10 months’ time.
The journalist also named Bayern Munich and Barcelona as clubs who could seek to pounce for the 28-year-old, although he highlighted that the Merseysiders might have a crucial edge on that duo.
Falk wrote in his Fact Files for Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing: “There’s another outfit to keep an eye on – Liverpool. In the far-flung future, they will need a successor for Virgil van Dijk. Jonathan Tah could be that for Liverpool. They are also on the table at this time.
“I think the big advantage for Liverpool in the race for Tah is that the Premier League was always his big, big dream. There will always be rumours linking him with a move to Newcastle. However, if Liverpool were to knock on his door, there’s perhaps a big chance that he’ll be playing in the Premier League next season.”
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Could Tah be Liverpool’s next Joel Matip in terms of a shrewd free transfer pickup of a centre-back from the Bundesliga?
Leverkusen will obviously try hard to convince the 28-year-old to sign a new deal at the BayArena, but if the defender dreams of a move to the Premier League, he may view next summer as his best chance to realise that ambition.
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He’ll be 29 next February, and LFC tend not to go for players who are that far along the age scale, although the captures of Thiago Alcantara and Wataru Endo in recent years illustrate that they’re willing to make exceptions if the right target is available in the right circumstances.
Although Tah’s averages for core defensive metrics are quite weak in comparison to positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues, he’s among the market leaders in his position for pass completion, with a whopping 94.6% over the past year (FBref).
That could make him an ideal fit for Arne Slot’s clear preference in patiently passing out from the back, and signing him on a free transfer would carry minimal risk. If anything, it could be the perfect mitigation if the likes of Van Dijk (out of contract next summer) or Joe Gomez (strongly linked with an exit recently) were to depart and duly lessen Liverpool’s centre-back options.
It’s definitely a situation worth keeping an eye on for Richard Hughes over the next few months.
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