According to a report from Sport1’s Kerry Hau, Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard will get the final say on whether he stays or goes this upcoming summer.
Pavard’s contract expires in 2024, but the Frenchman wants a permanent move to center-back. There are many factors that will go into deciding how that how that might work, including:
1 – How Pavard stacks up against Matthijs de Ligt, Dayot Upamecano, and Lucas Hernandez.
2 – What formation Julian Nagelsmann uses moving forward (a back three would require more starting caliber center-backs for the roster).
Per the report from Hau, Pavard came very close to pushing for a move this winter (Intewr Milan was interested), but Bayern Munich would not let it happen. Moreover, FC Barcelona is lurking and waiting to see if it can lure Pavard to Catalonia this summer.. Pavard, however, does like his life in Munich:
In January , SPORT1 reported on Pavard’s decision to seek a new challenge for the coming season. His advisor Joseph Mohan even called in Pini Zahavi, the well-known transfer agent in Munich. A last-minute winter change to Inter Milan almost came about. SPORT1 knows: Pavard feels comfortable in Munich, he identifies with the club and is popular in the team. It was and still is primarily about his position.
A full-time move to center-back appears to be the “make or break” aspect of all of this:
Background: In recent years, he has often expressed his desire to play as a permanent central defender to the coaching staff. For a variety of reasons, however, this could not be fulfilled, which frustrated and disappointed him.
Bayern know what they have in Pavard. However, they will not stop him for a fee a year before the end of his contract if he really wants to do something new. It’s up to him – and the answer from Nagelsmann and the Bayern bosses to the question of whether they can offer him a place as a central defender beyond the current second half of the season.
Otherwise there is a risk of departure and with FC Barcelona a top club has already gotten in wait! According to the Spanish newspaper Sport , there has already been a meeting in a hotel in the Catalan city between club officials and Pavard’s agent Zahavi.
Abendzeitung’s Maximilian Koch also chimed in with a report of his own (as captured by @iMiaSanMia) echoing Bayern Munich’s happiness with Pavard’s play:
Bayern bosses are impressed with Benjamin Pavard’s performances this year, helped by his role as a center-back in a back three. A contract extension beyond 2024 remains possible and more likely than it was in recent months.
Pavard’s next few weeks could be key. The Frenchman has been a very solid defender this season and has looked very strong at center-back. Allowing him to leave this summer without a viable replacement could be a move that Bayern Munich could ultimately regret.