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Fabrizio Romano confirms €40m price tag for Barcelona's perfect defender
Tom Weber
- Updated: 16 Feb 2026 15:47 GMT
- 9 min read
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Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba will be available for €40 million this summer, and the data shows that he would be perfect for Barcelona.
The Burkina Faso international has had six eventful years in Germany since joining Bayer Leverkusen from Vitoria Guimaraes for €20.2 million in early 2020. Tapsoba has been a standout defender in the Bundesliga, but it hasn't always been easy for him.
The 27-year-old has had seasons where he has been nothing short of sensational, but there have also been occasions when his front-foot defensive style has come back to bite him. Overall, though, Tapsoba has proved to be a brilliant acquisition for Leverkusen.
Current ETV
Edmond Tapsoba
D (CRL)
Bayer 04
Edmond Tapsoba
D (CRL)
Bayer 04
ETV Range
€35.2M - €43M
He was a crucial part of the side that won the domestic double unbeaten under Xabi Alonso in 2023/24, and he has continued to play an important role despite the eye-catching churn at the club since that triumphant campaign.
After such a long time, Tapsoba is now ready for a new challenge. According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, the Burkinabe defender will be one to watch in the summer transfer window, and he will be available for around €40 million.
Tapsoba is perfect for Barcelona
Romano did not disclose where Tapsoba could end up, but he did reveal that several top European sides are monitoring him. Previously, the centre-back was linked with a move to the Premier League.
However, data from SciSports shows that LaLiga would be the perfect destination for Tapsoba. The centre-back, who is excellent on the ball, would fit right in at Spain's biggest clubs.
SciSports analyses several different factors, such as play style, development opportunities and playing time, to calculate a player's Club Fit score. For Tapsoba, the most suitable clubs are Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.
Both have a very good Club Fit score of 84, followed by Italian sides Atalanta and Juventus with 77. Aston Villa are the first English club with a ranking of 76.
The best move for Tapsoba would evidently be Barcelona. Hansi Flick's daring defensive set-up suits the Leverkusen star's style better than Diego Simeone's more rigid system at Atleti. The Catalans receive full marks from SciSports in the play style category.
What's more, Barcelona are known to be in the market for a new centre-back, having failed to adequately replace Inigo Martinez after he surprisingly departed for Al-Nassr in the summer. With Andreas Christensen constantly injured, the Blaugrana need another body in defence.
Skill
Potential
- Edmond Tapsoba
- Marcos Senesi
Barcelona have shown a strong interest in Marco Senesi at Bournemouth because of their financial situation and his expiring contract. He is a market opportunity and only a year older than Tapsoba.
However, Senesi is also fielding interest from various other clubs, including Chelsea. Should Barcelona miss out on the Argentine, Tapsoba would be a viable alternative, albeit a significantly more expensive one.
In terms of ability, Tapsoba actually has the beating of Senesi, according to SciSports. He has a current skill rating of 74 compared to Senesi's 70.5. This rating also puts the Burkina Faso international ahead of Ronald Araujo and Christensen at Barcelona.
He would be the perfect signing for the reigning Spanish champions.
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