Edmond Tapsoba is ready to embrace a bigger role at Bayer Leverkusen following Jonathan Tah’s exit. The Burkinabé defender admitted it’s now his moment to step up, both on and off the pitch.

“Of course, I have to take on more responsibility now,” Tapsoba revealed. “I learned so much from Jona — he’s been a mentor to me. Now it’s my turn to give back, to guide the team and be one of the leaders.”

Tapsoba explained that he spoke with Tah before his departure, and his former teammate encouraged him to take on the challenge.

“Jona told me this is the right moment to take the next step, to also be more vocal and lead from the back,” Tapsoba added. “I’m determined to help the team in every way possible.”

With his calm presence and growing leadership, Tapsoba looks set to be a cornerstone of Leverkusen’s defense for the coming seasons.