Bayer Leverkusen will not try to sign for former Liverpool defender Joël Matip | OneFootball

kicker reports that in the event of a Jonathan Tah departure, Bayer Leverkusen will not try and sign former Liverpool defender Joël Matip and instead look internally.

Tah has constantly been linked with a move to Bayern Munich this summer and a conclusion to the deal does not look to be clear anytime soon. However, if the 28-year-old does leave the BayArena, Leverkusen are already planning.

Die Werkself have previously been interested in former Liverpool defender Matip but it is unlikely that Leverkusen will sign the free agent. The squad is already well positioned in the centre-back position with the likes of Edmond Tapsoba, Piero Hincapié and Odilon Kossounou all currently still at the club and with Robert Andirch also able to fill in in defence.

Leverkusen will rely on summer signing Jeanuël Belocian. The 19-year-old only moved to the BayArena this summer from Ligue 1 side Rennes for €15m.

Belocian was brought in to cover Alejandro Grimaldo, but due to how important Grimaldo is to Leverkusen, the 19-year-old is unlikely to see much game time in that position, instead, he will be used as a backup for the left centre-back position as Leverkusen believe Belocian does not need any time to adapt to the Bundesliga.

GGFN | Jack Meenan