Barcelona put the free-agent signing of 29-year-old defensive ace on hold – report

Earlier this week, high-ranking FC Barcelona officials, including club president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco, met with superagent Pini Zahavi in the Catalan capital.

One of the matters discussed during the meeting was the contract extension of manager Hansi Flick, who is represented by Zahavi.

Tah’s signing still cold

According to SPORT, The meeting also touched on another matter: Barcelona’s pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah, who will be a free agent from 30 June.

While Deco had previously laid the groundwork for the signing of the 29-year-old defender, the situation has now changed. Once again, Financial Fair Play restrictions have become a major barrier for the Catalans.

Barça communicated to Zahavi that, as things stand, the club cannot proceed with the signing. Flick admires Tah’s profile and would welcome his addition, but he understands that squad planning is not his responsibility.

The Blaugrana see Tah as a market opportunity, but the salary space available is limited, and any reinforcements depend on how the sporting department prioritises future budget flexibility – if there is any.

Tah, for his part, is eager to sign for Barcelona but does not want to face the uncertainty and delays that surrounded Dani Olmo’s registration last summer. The German international also wants his future resolved within the next month.

Several Premier League clubs are also interested in the defender, but negotiations have been put on hold in case Barça can make a concrete move in May.

While the La Liga leaders are understood to have reassured the 29-year-old ace that they intend to bring him in and hand him a prominent role in the team, any move will hinge on the Fair Play situation improving in the coming month.