Manchester United have contacted Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah about a summer transfer to Old Trafford.
The Red Devils completed their first piece of transfer business over the weekend, when Bologna attacker Joshua Zirkzee signed a deal for about £35.5 million.
However, United’s management, backed by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is desperate to strengthen further before the transfer deadline on August 30 and is now prioritising a deal for a central defender.
Matthijs de Ligt, a 24-year-old center defender, has been in negotiations with the Red Devils for a while now. He is eager to move to the Theatre of Dreams, where he will be reunited with former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag.
In the northwest, De Ligt has already reached personal terms for a five-year deal. Bayern is requesting €50 million (£42 million) for the Netherlands international, and United and the Bundesliga powerhouse have not yet reached an agreement over a price.
In the event that United and Bayern are unable to come to a deal for De Ligt this summer, United has reportedly made contact with Tah of Leverkusen, according to Sky Germany.
To further muddy the waters for United, though, Bayern are also pursuing a deal for Tah but have so far come up short in their attempts to agree a deal with Leverkusen for the Germany defender.
The report claims Tah’s preferred destination is Bayern, with whom he has agreed a contract until 2029.
Tah has made over 350 appearances for Leverkusen since arriving from Hamburg in 2015 and was instrumental last season as Xabi Alonso’s side won the Bundesliga with a phenomenal undefeated record.
The sought-after centre-half has just one year remaining on his current contract at BayArena, meaning Leverkusen must decide whether to cash in on their prized possession this summer or risk losing him on a free transfer in 12 months’ time.
Tah stressed that he did not want to put Leverkusen in a position where he they would have to sell him for free when asked for an update on his future last month.
‘It is clear that I will have to make a decision at some point,’ he told Sky Germany.
‘I will either extend my contract or I should leave because the club doesn’t want to end up in a situation where a player leaves the club for free.’
Tah added: ‘I’m thinking about the right next step for me, whether I stay in Leverkusen or go elsewhere.
‘I don’t think it’s good to mention names of other clubs, but of course the next step should be the right one and feel good.’