Newcastle eyeing January move for Bayer Leverkusen's Jonathan Tah

Newcastle United is considering a January move for Bayer Leverkusen's highly-rated defender Jonathan Tah, who is valued at £20 million. The Magpies are in need of defensive reinforcements after suffering double injury blows with the absence of Sven Botman and Dan Burn.

Competition from Manchester United and West Ham

Newcastle could face tough competition from Premier League rivals Manchester United and West Ham, as well as other clubs across Europe, who have also expressed interest in Tah. The German international has caught the attention of these clubs with his impressive performances for Leverkusen this season.

Leverkusen reluctant to sell

Leverkusen has started the Bundesliga season strongly, currently sitting at the top of the table. They also have a perfect record in the Europa League. As such, they are reluctant to let go of Tah before the end of the season. However, with just over 18 months remaining on his contract, the German club may feel pressure to sell if significant offers are made in January.

Impressive career and international experience

Tah, standing at 6ft 5in, joined Leverkusen from Hamburg in 2015 for a fee of around £6.5 million. Since then, he has made 321 appearances for the club and has been a commanding presence in their defense. He has also scored four goals this season. Additionally, Tah has earned 19 caps for the German national team and will be hoping to play a key role in Euro 2024, which Germany will host.

Eddie Howe looking to bolster his defense

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe sees Tah as a potential addition to strengthen his defensive options. Howe will be aiming to secure Tah's signature in January to address the team's injury concerns and improve their defensive capabilities.