Don’t join Bayern Munich! Bayer Leverkusen chief admits he told Jonathan Tah not to join Bundesliga rivals but admits Florian Wirtz could end up joining Harry Kane & Co

Centre-back Tah nearly joined Bayern this summer, only for a move to collapse late on in the transfer window. His team-mate and attacking midfielder Wirtz has been linked with a Leverkusen exit as well and while CEO Fernando Carro wants to keep the duo, and not strengthen a direct rival, they could both leave eventually.

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  WHAT THE BAYER LEVERKUSEN CEO SAID

  He said on the Phrasenmäher podcast, via Sky Germany: “It goes without saying that we don’t want to strengthen direct competitors in our own league with top players. Incidentally, I also said that directly to Jonathan Tah. I understand if you want to leave, but I would have preferred any club to one in Germany.”

  When asked if he could promise Wirtz wouldn’t join Bayern, he said: “You can’t promise anything in football. We would be happy if he stayed with us forever.”

  Carro added that there was a strong likelihood Wirtz would become the most expensive German transfer in history if he left.

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tah, 28, will be a free agent in 2025 and may head to Bayern at the end of the season, as the German defender is unlikely to sign a new deal at Leverkusen. Wirtz’s contract runs until 2027, so the reigning Bundesliga champions have more negotiating power with the 21-year-old. But, if he does go, CEO Carro believes it will be a record fee for a German player – something that is held by Kai Havertz’s 2020 move from Leverkusen to Chelsea for £71 million ($92m).

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Both Tah and Wirtz could be in action for Leverkusen, who sit fifth in the Bundesliga, in their next league match at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday afternoon.