Man Utd explode into race to sign dominant free agent

Steve Pearson 01 May 2025 2:11 PM

Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim and Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah

Man Utd are exploring a move to sign a Germany international

Manchester United are now ‘actively’ exploring a deal to sign a free agent defender despite heavyweight competition from three of world football’s biggest clubs.

The bulk of the transfer headlines surrounding Man Utd right now relate to additions in the final third. Matheus Cunha is on board with joining the Red Devils regardless of whether they qualify for the Champions League or not.

United fully intend to activate Cunha’s £62.5m release clause to take Wolves out of the equation and an agreement on personal terms is edging closer.

Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap remains the No 1 striker target and following Ipswich Town’s relegation, the 22-year-old can now be signed for just £30m.

But according to Sky Sports, bubbling under the surface at Old Trafford is Man Utd’s attempts to snap up a defensive colossus.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah – who stands at 6ft 5in tall and was named in last year’s Bundesliga team of the season – is a wanted man in Manchester.

Ruben Amorim operates with his trusty 3-4-2-1 formation, meaning an abundance of options at centre-back is more vital to Man Utd than other clubs who only feature two centre-backs in their starting eleven.

And with Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans both departing via free agency, Man Utd have fixed their gaze on Tah who will leave Leverkusen this summer.

Sky stated United have ‘positioned themselves as contenders’ for the 29-year-old Germany international and are now ‘actively’ looking into a move.

However, before Man Utd fans can get their hopes up, three gigantic clubs must be pushed to one side…

Favourites names in heavyweight four-way scrap

Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all understood to be sizing up Tah too.

Tah has already publicly confirmed he’ll leave Leverkusen at season’s end and the long-held expectation was he’d move to Barcelona.

However, the club’s well-documented financial strife has caused delays, with Fabrizio Romano and Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg detailing the latest.

“FC Bayern have been seriously looking into Jonathan Tah again over the past one to two weeks,” wrote Plettenberg on X.

“Bayern are aware that he has not yet signed with FC Barcelona. Other clubs are also interested in Tah. Talks are ongoing.”

Romano subsequently stated: “Bayern remain among clubs now attentive to Jonathan Tah situation as the German defender has still not agreed/signed contract at Barcelona.

“Tah, in negotiations with Barca since December but still nothing sealed at this stage. Bayern and more clubs, monitoring the case.”

Sky suggested Real Madrid may actually be favourites given the Xabi Alonso connection. Alonso is expected to succeed Carlo Ancelotti as manager of Real Madrid and his second signing (after Trent Alexander-Arnold) could be Tah.

Nonetheless, the corporation are also adamant Man Utd are now a firm fixture in the race and if the centre-back fancies testing his mettle in the Premier League, he now has that opportunity.