Real Madrid now behind Barcelona in the race to sign Bundesliga title-winner | OneFootball

Eder Militao’s season-ending ACL injury, coupled with injuries to other defenders including Lucas Vazquez, David Alaba and Dani Carvajal has forced Real Madrid to enter the market.

The club are desperate for reinforcements in the January transfer window, with Jonathan Tah emerging as one of the top targets.

Tah’s contract at Bayer Leverkusen expires at the end of the season and the player is unlikely to extend his contract. That means he will be available as a free agent next summer, though Real Madrid are exploring a January move.

Barcelona lead Real Madrid in the race to sign Tah

However, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg (via SPORT), Real Madrid’s hopes of securing Tah’s signature in January have been dealt a blow due to fierce competition from Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

The report suggests that Tah is more likely to favour a move to one of these two clubs, as both are planning to wait for a free transfer next summer.

What’s in store for Jonathan Tah’s future? (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

Barcelona, in particular, have emerged as a significant obstacle. Despite Real Madrid’s interest in a January deal for Tah, the Catalans are positioning themselves to secure Tah on a Bosman deal in the summer.

Plettenberg suggests Tah is likely to choose between Barcelona and Bayern Munich as his next destination, with no real mention of Real Madrid.

The report adds that Los Blancos have started to cool their interest in the Leverkusen star.

Real Madrid’s management appears to be pivoting their focus towards other options, including Tah’s Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz and coach Xabi Alonso.

But with the January transfer window just around the corner, Real Madrid must soon find ideal alternatives for Tah, as they look to bring in some much-needed defensive reinforcements.