A whirlwind winter transfer window came to an end for Bayern Munich on Tuesday with the temporary departure of Marcel Sabitzer. The Austrian midfielder completed a loan move to Manchester United in the final hour of the window. Sabitzer was not the only senior Bayern player that attracted interest on the deadline day.
According to L’Equipe (via GGFN), Inter Milan tried to sign Benjamin Pavard from Bayern on Tuesday. The Italian club was looking to replace Milan Skriniar, who was subject to interest from PSG. However, Die Roten rejected Inter’s approaches for Pavard as they wanted to keep him at least until the end of the season.
Inter’s proposal for Pavard was a loan with the option to buy in the summer, but Die Roten rejected it despite holding talks with the Italian club for a long time on deadline day. L’Equipe also insisted that Rekordmeister is still hoping to extend Pavard’s contract and use him as a center-back option in the long run.
The speculation over Pavard’s future is likely to grow in the next few months since Die Roten completed a loan deal for Manchester City right-back Joao Cancelo on Monday. The Portuguese full-back could end up reducing Pavard’s playing time. The French defender has primarily operated as a first-choice right-back at Bayern, but he is likely to become a rotation option in central defense and right-back positions for the rest of the season.
Moreover, Pavard expressed his desire to leave Bavaria in December. The French defender didn’t speak about a transfer in January, but he was open to listening to new projects. Benjamin Pavard is primarily looking for a project where he can play in the heart of the defense on a consistent basis.
Die Roten is expected to initiate contract talks with Pavard in the coming months. If he refuses to extend his deal, then Bayern will have to sell him in the summer since his current deal expires in 2024. They cannot afford to lose another defender on a free transfer as they did last summer with Niklas Sule.
Want your voice heard? Join the Bayern Strikes team!
The latest reports in Germany and Spain have suggested that Benjamin Pavard is leaning towards a move to FC Barcelona in the summer. The Spanish club is also interested in signing him. Inter Milan may rival Barcelona in the summer since Skriniar is expected to join PSG on a free transfer in June.
Inter Milan will provide Pavard with better opportunities in terms of playing central defense. Barcelona already has several options in central defense, so Pavard may have to settle for the right-back position. Bayern will be hoping to have an auction for the French defender if he refuses to sign a new deal.