Barcelona have one of the best center back duos in the world this season, even as the attacking quartet of Dani Olmo, Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski have stole the show globally for the new La Liga leaders.
Inigo Martinez has been the revelation of the season after injuries to legitimate top-class Barcelona center backs Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen, who no longer look like guaranteed starters in the 2024/25 season when they do return, especially not Araujo.
Pau Cubarsi has obviously been excellent, picking up where he left off as the best defensive prospect on the planet last season, but Martinez has really stolen the show and has a great case for being the best central defender in the world during the current campaign.
Despite the wealth of talent at the center back position, which includes starting right back Jules Kounde, Barcelona continue to be linked with some high-profile names on the transfer market.
The biggest is Bayer Leverkusen star Jonathan Tah, who is set to be a free agent next summer and can be signed to a pre-contract agreement during the winter transfer window.
Although Bayern could have signed him last summer and have long been seen as the leaders to land the German international, recent rumblings have hinted at Barcelona being the new favorites after pulling clearly ahead of a center back-needy Real Madrid.
Now, according to journalist Jose Alvarez in an appearance on El Chiringuito, Barcelona are “very advanced: in their discussions to sign Tah for the 2025/26 season and beyond.
Tah is in the prime of his career as a center back at 28 years old, and he has a wealth of experience as a regular starter for Leverkusen. He is one of the best ball-playing center backs in the world, and Barcelona value that greatly, which can be seen in the players they prefer to start (Martinez, Cubarsi, Kounde, and Christensen).
There’s no doubt that Tah can hold his own with those guys. Although Tah isn’t a priority signing for Barcelona because of their talent at center back, he is such a great fit for what Flick wants in a central defender, and he is Barca’s favorite world right now: free.
