The signing of Jonathan Tah by FC Barcelona, a real option or increasingly distant?

The possible arrival of Jonathan Tah to FC Barcelona has been surrounded by a climate of speculation. Initially, everything seemed to indicate that the 29-year-old defender would join the azulgrana team starting from the next summer transfer market, once he finished his adventure with Bayer Leverkusen, the team with which he has a contract until June 30 and to which he has already expressed his decision not to renew in order to explore new horizons.

With his arrival as a free agent, it would be logical for FC Barcelona to consider acquiring his services, given his good level and his possible fit in the culé sports project, being favored by Hansi Flick, who has managed him in the German national team. At the same time, it should not be overlooked that apparently Jonathan Tah prioritizes joining the Catalan club and may have rejected perhaps more lucrative offers, such as that of Bayern Munich.

In fact, the proximity of Jonathan Tah to FC Barcelona seems to be such that, according to 'Mundo Deportivo', a meeting between his agent and the Barcelona team is expected to take place soon in the Catalan capital to finalize the details of his possible signing. It should be noted that since January 1, the native of Hamburg (according to FIFA regulations) is already free to negotiate his affiliation with any other team.

What could complicate Jonathan Tah's arrival at FC Barcelona?

However, this possible union of Jonathan Tah with FC Barcelona presents certain complexities at the sporting level. Not so much because of his quality of play, as the German defender seems to fit the desired profile, with excellent physical stature, great aerial play and good ball distribution from the back, but rather due to the saturation of defenders in Barcelona's roster, which currently has up to five defenders.

Some sources, such as 'SPORT', suggest that this 'overbooking' of defenders could keep the signing of Jonathan Tah by FC Barcelona on 'stand-by'. With Ronald Araujo's renewal until 2031 and the high level that Eric García is showing, who has gained prominence in the team, it is clear that Barcelona has solid options in defense, with Pau Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez also standing out as the established starting center-back pair.

The sporting director of FC Barcelona, Deco, in a recent statement to 'SPORT', indicated that the renewal of Ronald Araujo does not necessarily prevent the arrival of Jonathan Tah, but that the club must carefully analyze its needs and market possibilities before making decisions.

"We know the team we have today, there are many things that change, such as the case of Eric García. There are many variables that we do not control, but the idea is there and we know what we want. If the question refers to whether we have four center-backs, it will be difficult to bring in something, that's true"

Will Barça prioritize strengthening other positions?

It is evident that FC Barcelona could alleviate the excess of defenders by facilitating the departure of, for example, Andreas Christensen, who seems to be the main candidate to leave the azulgrana club. However, there would still be four solid options to strengthen the defense without a clear exit in sight.

With this in mind, it would not be surprising if FC Barcelona decides to prioritize strengthening other positions, such as the left winger or the right back, thus postponing the possible arrival of Jonathan Tah, although the option of signing the German defender is not ruled out either. Everything will depend on the market circumstances affecting the Catalan squad.