Under-21 captain Tah joins senior Germany squad

Berlin (AFP) – Burly defender Jonathan Tah was a late call-up to the Germany squad on Saturday ahead of their Nations League matches against the Netherlands and France.

Tah captained Germany Under-21s to a 2-1 win over Norway on Friday, securing qualification for the junior European championships next year in Italy, then joined the senior squad for Saturday’s international away to the Netherlands.

The German Football Association (DFB) said the Bayer Leverkusen defender has linked up with the team in Amsterdam, but will only be in the matchday squad to face France in Paris next Tuesday.

The 22-year-old centre-back has been drafted in as cover after Germany head coach Joachim Loew was hit by a raft of withdrawals last weekend.

Loew already called up Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno, Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry and Juventus midfielder Emre Can after Marco Reus, Kai Havertz, Leon Goretzka, Kevin Trapp and Antonio Ruediger all suffered injuries.

After 12 years as head coach, Germany boss Loew is under pressure to secure wins in the Nations League against the Dutch, who are bottom of Group One, and pool leaders France.

A report in the Munich-based Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper on Saturday claims there is a get-out clause in Loew’s contract, which runs until the 2022 World Cup, allowing either party to end the agreement prematurely.