Bayern Munich signs defender Jonathan Tah from Bundesliga rival Leverkusen

Bayern Munich strengthened its defense ahead of the Club World Cup by signing Germany center back Jonathan Tah from its Bundesliga rival Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday.

Munich said Tah arrives on a free transfer with a contract until June 2029.

"It's a very special feeling," Tah said. "It felt very big, seeing the shirt with my number and name on it. I'm just really looking forward to being able to wear the shirt properly for the first time in a match. I want to take on responsibility here and work hard every day so that we're successful as a team and win lots of trophies together."

For now, it was doubtful Tah would be with Bayern for its opening Club World Cup games next month. Bayern's statement didn't specify when he would join the team.

Leverkusen would be entitled to a fee to release Tah before his current contract expires at the end of June. Leverkusen hadn't immediately commented on Tah leaving the club.

Bayern pursued Tah for more than a year after failing to sign him last summer, when Tah refused to extend his contract beyond the 2024-25 season.

"It's no secret that we've had Jonathan Tah on our radar for a long time," Bayern board member for sport Max Eberl said. "Jonathan had a lot of offers but chose Bayern, which pleases us very much."

He was Leverkusen's longest-serving outfield player after spending a decade at the club and was a key part of the team which won the Bundesliga and German Cup unbeaten in 2023-24.

How Leverkusen replaces Tah is a key question in the rebuild the club must pursue with new coach Erik ten Hag after Xabi Alonso left for Real Madrid.

Club World Cup complications

Bayern was expected for months to sign Tah as a free agent but the Club World Cup complicates matters.

The German champion has three group games before Tah's Leverkusen contract was due to expire June 30, starting with Auckland City in Cincinnati on June 15. That meant Leverkusen had the right to demand a fee if Bayern wanted to sign Tah earlier, in the extra transfer window running June 1-10.

Getting Tah sooner is important for Bayern because its first-choice central defense pairing has faced a demanding schedule this season and struggled with injuries.

Dayot Upamecano has been out since a knee injury in March, while Kim Min-jae played much of the season with an Achilles tendon problem. Backup central defender Eric Dier is leaving for Monaco, while injuries limited Hiroki Ito to a handful of games.

"In Jonathan Tah we've acquired a player with international experience and quality, who won't need much time to establish himself in our defense," Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund said. "He'll be a good and important addition for us with his technical qualities as well as his manner and the way he leads."

A late developer

Tah was an up-and-coming talent when he joined Leverkusen from Hamburger SV in 2015 but it still took years for him to establish himself as one of Germany's best.

After making his international debut at the age of 20 in a friendly against England in 2016, Tah had to wait until Julian Nagelsmann's arrival as coach in 2023 to become a regular starter for his country.

Germany's run to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 on home soil was Tah's first major tournament. Of his 35 international appearances, 19 have come in the last two seasons.