A major setback for Real Madrid! One of Europe’s top players in his position has turned down an offer from the Spanish giants and chosen to sign with Hansi Flick’s Barcelona instead.

Xabi Alonso had made it clear that reinforcing his defense was a priority, with Jonathan Tah at the top of his wishlist. The German international, currently with Bayer Leverkusen, had attracted significant attention, and Alonso was eager to bring him in.

However, the situation took a turn when Real Madrid discovered that Spanish defender Dean Huijsen was available.

Once this opportunity arose, Alonso didn’t hesitate to shift his attention, choosing Huijsen over Tah, leaving the German defender as a potential target for Barcelona.

Reports from Mundo Deportivo suggest that Barcelona’s newly appointed manager, Hansi Flick, remains interested in signing Tah. The 29-year-old center-back’s contract with Bayer Leverkusen is set to expire at the end of the current season, making him a free agent and allowing him to select his next club without transfer fees involved. Aside from Barcelona, Bayern Munich has also expressed strong interest in securing his services.

Tah’s relationship with Alonso, under whose management he has flourished in recent seasons, would have made Real Madrid an appealing destination if they had presented a concrete offer. However, despite their ongoing search for a new central defender, Real Madrid has decided not to pursue Tah.

The main reason behind this decision is reportedly Tah’s openness to entering a bidding war to secure the most lucrative salary package possible — a tactic that Real Madrid’s management has actively avoided in recent years, preferring financial discipline and a focus on developing younger talents with long-term contracts.

While Real Madrid completed the signing of Huijsen, it was revealed by El Nacional that Alonso still held Tah in high regard and would have liked to see him at the Santiago Bernabéu. Nevertheless, a late twist changed the transfer narrative.

In the final moments of negotiations, Barcelona’s Hansi Flick personally reached out to Tah, convincing the German defender to consider the Catalan club instead. This last-minute intervention reportedly swayed Tah’s decision.

Now, it appears increasingly likely that Jonathan Tah will soon be unveiled as a Barcelona player, giving the La Liga giants a significant boost in defense as they prepare for a new chapter under Flick’s leadership. The battle for Tah highlights the intense competition among Europe’s elite clubs to strengthen their squads ahead of the new season.