Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba has signed a new contract with the club amid links with both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
Edmond Tapsoba was wanted by both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur but has now committed his future to Bayer Leverkusen.
The Bundesliga club have confirmed that Tapsoba has signed a new deal until 2028.
This is a major piece of news for Leverkusen given that they lost star winger Moussa Diaby to Aston Villa over the summer.
Xabi Alonso is looking to take Leverkusen forward having joined from Real Madrid last season and keeping Tapsoba is a huge step.
Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes has celebrated the decision, telling the club’s official website that he thinks the club have sent out a real statement by keeping Tapsoba.
“Edmond is one of the best central defenders in the Bundesliga, he definitely has the potential to make it to the top on the international stage,” said Rolfes. “This contract extension sends out a signal for us. We have ambitious targets at Leverkusen that we want to achieve with great players like Tapsoba. His quality on the pitch combined with his enormous ease and calm make Edmond a top player and a key member of our squad,” he added.
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur wanted Edmond Tapsoba
Tapsoba was a wanted man during the summer transfer window.
Fabrizio Romano reported in July that Tottenham Hotspur considered Tapsoba to be their top defensive target for the summer.
Spurs explored signing Tapsoba and Wolfsburg’s Micky van de Ven, eventually completing a deal for the latter.
Romano had also claimed in June that Arsenal wanted Tapsoba but considered him ‘too expensive’.
The Express added after Jurrien Timber’s injury that Arsenal could return with a late push for Tapsoba.
That move didn’t materialise either, meaning Tapsoba has now decided to stay in Germany.
Fabrizio Romano comments on Tapsoba deal
Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has now offered comments about Tapsoba’s new contract to Caught Offside.
Romano claims that Leverkusen ultimately think that Tapsoba is worth a lot more than the rumoured €45million (£38.5million) valuation from the summer.
Romano also isn’t sure whether Tottenham or even Manchester United would look to sign Tapsoba in 2024, with his price tag no doubt going even higher.
Leverkusen will be ecstatic to have Tapsoba tied down for five more years, surely fending off Arsenal, United and Tottenham for a while.
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