Matthäus: Bayern made a mistake by not signing Tah

Last summer, Bayern Munich came close to signing Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen, but the deal ultimately fell through as the two clubs couldn't agree on a transfer fee.

Now, the 29-year-old centre-back is set to leave Leverkusen on a free transfer, and Bayern no longer seem to be in pole position to secure the German international's signature.

According to Germany's all-time record appearance maker, Lothar Matthäus, Bayern made a mistake by not finalizing the deal last summer – but it may not be too late to act.

“It’s no surprise that Jonathan Tah will be leaving Bayer Leverkusen this summer. Now it’s confirmed. It’s definitely a significant loss for Leverkusen. And to make matters worse, he’s leaving on a free transfer. That’s painful. He was one of the key players behind Leverkusen’s success,” Matthäus wrote in a column for Sky Germany.

“I still see an opportunity for him in the Bundesliga. Bayern made a mistake last summer by not signing Tah. Perhaps he’ll choose Bayern this summer. The Bayern defense is still a work in progress, and there’s a lot of uncertainty in that area.

"Bayern aren’t satisfied with Kim, although I rate him as a centre-back. But perhaps he needs a leader beside him. Tah would provide that. If I had a say at Bayern, I’d go for the best, and Tah is certainly among the best. I’d definitely consider bringing him in."