Bayern Munich: Julian Nagelsmann convinced Benjamin Pavard to stay
Bayern Munich had a very interesting summer in terms of outgoings from the senior squad. Robert Lewandowski was the high-profile departure from Bavaria. The Polish striker got his wish of moving to FC Barcelona fulfilled in July when both clubs reached an agreement over the transfer fee.
Apart from Lewandowski, Bayern also parted with several fringe players such as Omar Richards, Marc Roca, Joshua Zirkzee, and Chris Richards. The record Bundesliga champions managed to raise close to €100 million from departure.
Benjamin Pavard could have also been on the list of departures during the summer transfer window. The French defender was heavily linked with a move away from Bavaria. Eventually, Pavard decided to stay put and started the season for Bayern in the right-back position.
The French international was not short of offers in the summer after Die Roten signed Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus. While talking to Telefoot recently, Benjamin Pavard revealed offers from various clubs in the summer. The French defender admitted that talks with Julian Nagelsmann convinced him to stay in Bavaria, but he refused to rule out a transfer in the future.
"“I asked myself questions in the summer. I had calls from different clubs. But I spoke to Julian Nagelsmann, who made it clear to me that I was in his plans. Maybe one day I’ll go to one of these clubs.”"
Pavard’s future was uncertain in Bavaria since he prefers playing in the central defense. After the departure of Niklas Sule in the summer, Pavard was expected to get an ample amount of game time this season in his preferred position. However, the arrival of de Ligt made sure that Pavard would have to be content with the right-back role.
Nagelsmann started the season with Pavard as the first-choice right-back as Noussair Mazraoui was slowly integrated into the team. The French defender delivered solid performances in the first few games of the season before getting injured against Barcelona last week.
Bayern is expected to open contract talks with Pavard soon since his current deal expires in 2024. The French defender is reportedly unsure about signing a new contract since he wants to play regularly in the heart of the defense. He once again reiterated his preferred position during the interview with Telefoot.
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If there is no agreement over a contract renewal by the end of the season, Bayern will most likely listen to offers for Benjamin Pavard. There will be no shortage of suitors for Pavard since many clubs showed interest in him this year. Along with Pavard, Die Roten is also expected to hold talks with Lucas Hernandez for a contract extension later this season.