Jonathan Tah is no longer a guaranteed starter at FC Bayern. A meeting with agent Pini Zahavi is now fueling speculation.
Jonathan Tah’s situation at FC Bayern has noticeably changed. Last season, the national team player usually formed the starting center-back pairing alongside Dayot Upamecano, but the competition for that spot is now much more open. Minjae Kim, in particular, has fought his way back into contention with strong performances.
According to the Münchner Merkur, Tah’s agent, Pini Zahavi, was at the stadium for the Champions League match against Arsenal. Tah was once again left out of the starting lineup for that game. A meeting between Zahavi and Bayern Munich officials reportedly took place the following day.
It has not been confirmed whether Tah’s playing situation was actually discussed. Given his recent limited playing time, however, the topic is obvious. The center back himself remained tight-lipped after the 6-1 DFB Cup win against Magdeburg. When asked about his current role, he said: “The coach decides who starts. What’s much more important is how I handle it and that I’m ready.”
When asked whether being benched had surprised him, Tah also avoided giving a definitive answer. According to him, the coaching staff had “communicated nothing different” than they did last season.
Kim is turning up the pressure on Tah
Competition in Bayern’s defense is particularly fierce right now. Upamecano is considered a sure starter, while behind him, Tah and Kim are battling for the second spot in central defense. Lothar Matthäus, Germany’s all-time leading international, therefore expects continued rotation. “I think all three will get their playing time. Upamecano is definitely a starter, and the second spot will go to either Kim or Jonathan Tah,” explained the Sky expert.
Recently, Tah has been getting more playing time mainly because Kim was sidelined with an injury. The 30-year-old was in the starting lineup against Freiburg and Magdeburg. With the South Korean’s return, however, the competition is heating up again.
On top of that, Tah has not yet been able to consistently replicate the steady performances he showed last season. On Magdeburg’s goal in the cup, he failed to make a decisive challenge and was unable to prevent the shot.
Against this backdrop, the meeting with Zahavi takes on added significance, though it’s too early to draw any concrete conclusions about a potential transfer. The experienced agent represents other prominent players in addition to Tah and is in regular contact with top European clubs.
At FC Bayern, the focus is likely to remain on on-field development for now. Even in the upcoming Bundesliga classic against Borussia Dortmund, the question arises once again as to who will start alongside Upamecano. For Tah, this is not just about securing a single starting spot, but about reestablishing his role in the hierarchy of Bayern’s defense.