Jonathan Tah has confirmed he will leave Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season, having informed the club of his decision to seek a new challenge.

The German international, whose contract expires this summer, has long been expected to part ways with the Bundesliga champions, and he has now publicly acknowledged that his time at the BayArena is drawing to a close.

Speaking to Kicker, Tah said:

“I don’t have a specific timeframe [for my departure], but the club is fully aware of my intentions. As I have always done, I’ve communicated everything very openly. From the beginning, it was clear — I made the decision not to extend my contract and not to stay here, and that’s the path I’m following.”

The 28-year-old has been linked with a number of Europe’s top clubs, with Barcelona reportedly showing strong interest in recent months. Early speculation had suggested that a deal with the Catalan giants was close to completion, though talk of an agreement has cooled somewhat, amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding Barça’s financial situation.

Barcelona are also thought to be assessing their options in central defence, where competition for places is currently high. Any potential arrival would likely depend on outgoings, with the likes of Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen both linked with moves away from the Camp Nou.

Garcia, who had previously looked surplus to requirements, appears to have regained the confidence of new head coach Hansi Flick, while Christensen is widely expected to depart during the upcoming transfer window.