Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness denies Benjamin Pavard rumors
Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness asserts that his club has not made an agreement with 2018 World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard.
It’s no secret that Bayern Munich will undergo some heavy changes in personnel next summer. The Bavarians are in a transitional phase, and many veterans will soon be replaced by younger talent. Arjen Robben has already confirmed his departure from the club in the summer, but he’s likely just the first of many.
In the annual general meeting last week, Uli Hoeness once again confirmed that Bayern will spend big in the next summer transfer window. Benjamin Pavard has long been linked with a move to Munich and is almost certainly one player who will be part of Bayern’s 2019 shopping spree.
Hoeness, however, dismissed the reports suggesting that a transfer agreement for Pavard has already been reached (via Sky Sport). The Bayern president did confirm the club’s interest in the French defender, though.
"“If [the Pavard deal] was done, I would have announced it straight away.“Of course, he is a player who interests us. At the moment, however, there is no transfer period and the topic is not up-to-date.”"
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Pavard was heavily linked with Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window earlier this year. After winning the World Cup with France, the rumors linking him with a move to Bavaria became even stronger. Stuttgart always insisted, though, that they were not interested in selling the player. Pavard also admitted that he would like to continue his development at Stuttgart for one more season before thinking about big clubs.
It has been widely reported that Bayern and Stuttgart agreed a fee in the region of €35 million for a move in the summer of 2019. The French defender dismissed these reports at the start of the season, though, in order to concentrate on the campaign with Stuttgart. After the comments from Hoeness, it seems a bit more clear that a deal has not been completed.
Bayern’s need of younger players in the attack has been the major talk in Germany for the past two years. However, the club’s defense needs perhaps more work than the attack. Jerome Boateng is on a steady decline right now, while Mats Hummels consistently struggles against quick players. Javi Martinez is no longer a reliable option in the central defense either. The form of Bayern’s veteran defenders has caused a lot of problems for Niko Kovac this season, as his side has leaked goals on a consistent basis.
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Pavard was one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga last season. He played in the right-back position for France during the World Cup, but his best position remains in the heart of defense. If they really want him, Bayern should try to get Pavard in the January window, as this transfer would help in providing depth to the full-back position as well as in central defense.