Bayern Munich: Benjamin Pavard wanted by multiple clubs
The defensive department at Bayern Munich has been significantly strengthened in the last few days by the signing of Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus. The Dutch defender showed glimpses of his talent in the Bavarian kit on Wednesday against DC United. However, the arrival of de Ligt could have ramifications on the future of another senior defender in the squad.
Benjamin Pavard is the senior defender from the current squad that could be leaving this summer. The French defender faces an uncertain future at the club since he was expected to play in the heart of defense from next season. However, his opportunities in the heart of defense will be significantly limited due to the arrival of de Ligt.
According to L’Equipe (via GGFN), Manchester United, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, and Juventus are keenly following the situation of Benjamin Pavard. The French defender sees his long-term future in the heart of the defense, so any transfer or decision to stay in Bavaria may happen if he is given assurances over his role.
Meanwhile, SportBild’s Christian Falk is reporting that Pini Zahavi will be helping Pavard’s agents in finding a suitable club. He also insists that Chelsea is not focussing on Pavard right now as they are looking to complete deals for Jules Kounde and Prisnel Kimpembe.
TRUE✅ Agent Pini Zahavi will help the agents of Benjamin Pavard @FCBayern to sell the defender. That explains the rumors about an alleged interest from Chelsea, as Zahavi is always the first to offer his players there @ChelseaFC
— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) July 21, 2022
After the signing of de Ligt, Bayern president Oliver Kahn had ruled out departures from the defense this summer. The German Champions may not actively try to sell Pavard. However, they may not stand in his way if he asks for a transfer by the end of the window.
Benjamin Pavard has been a crucial player for Die Roten since arriving in Bavaria from Stuttgart in 2019. He has largely played in the right-back position for Die Roten. His performances in this role have been solid, but Die Roten often lacked the cutting edge in the final third from his side. The German Champions have addressed this problem by signing Noussair Mazraoui this summer. The Moroccan defender is likely to be the first choice right-back for next season.
Since there is a good chance of him not playing regularly next season, Pavard may ask for a transfer later in the window. In the World Cup year, he needs to play regularly to book a place in the French squad.
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Apart from Pavard, the immediate future of Tanguy Nianzou at Die Roten is also uncertain. He could go out on loan to get regular playing time. If Nianzou ends up leaving, then there is a good chance that Pavard will be kept for at least one more season. It is likely to be one of these two defenders leaving Die Roten, not both.