Kicker Report: Zahavi's comments will not persuade Leverkusen to sell Tah

One of Germany’s leading footballing journalists has contacted his inside sources at Bayer 04 Leverkusen for comment on Pini Zahavi’s last-minute push to get the club to move Jonathan Tah. 

Despite a last-minute attempt at sensationalized theater, German footballing journalist Stephan van Nocks of Kicker Magazine reports that Bayer 04 Leverkusen and German national team defender Jonathan Tah will not be sold to either FC Barcelona or FC Bayern München before the transfer window closes. The Leverkusen correspondent for Germany’s preeminent footballing publication contacted his sources for a response to comments published by Tah’s agent earlier today. The B04 administrative team are ready to slam the door shut. 

In an article published on Kicker’s website, van Nocks reports that Leverkusen are holding firm with both clubs. Neither Bayern nor Barça met the €30 million request from Germany’s red company team. Even if either organization ups their bids significantly, the Bundesliga champions have no plan to replace Tah on short notice. It is such that, van Nocks insists, no further offers will be entertained. Bayer have only recently completed a complex swap in their central defensive corps and are not in the mood for more.

As was the case during the final day of the transfer window last year in the case of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani, a last-minute about-face cannot necessarily be ruled out. FCB board member for sport Max Eberl is known for closing deals that were seemingly dead at the last moment. Given that Bayer’s personnel boss Simon Rolfes himself is generally regarded to be skilled at rebuffing efforts in his own right, it does now appear as if Zahavi’s comments will not produce anything.