Aheed Abrar
Manchester United right-back target Benjamin Pavard wants to test himself as a centre-back
Manchester United are interested in bringing Benjamin Pavard to Old Trafford this summer as an option for the right-back spot in the squad, according to L’Equipe (h/t Mirror).
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot are the current options at Erik ten Hag’s disposal. But the former Crystal Palace man is not fancied by the Dutchman and United are in search of a right-back.
Pavard is a name on the Red Devils’ list. But there’s a slight catch in pursuing the World Cup winner. The 26-year-old has played the majority of his career at full-back but now wants to test himself out as a centre-back.
Pavard was a regular for Bayern Munich last season, featuring in 36 games throughout the season. Julian Nagelsmann deployed the 26-year-old in various positions, including centre-back.
Before moving to the Bundesliga champions in 2019, the Frenchman played predominantly as a centre-back for VfB Stuttgart. But his displays for the French national side as a right-back broke him onto the world stage.
At United, centre-back isn’t a position fans have a lot to worry about now with the arrival of Lisandro Martinez. The Argentine arrives with the pedigree of being excellent in the centre of defence.
While Raphael Varane wasn’t his best last season, the 29-year-old can be forgiven as it was his debut season. The Frenchman needed to be given time to settle in and fans will hope he comes good next season.
Harry Maguire is the club captain. The England international was inconsistent in his performances in the previous campaign and made some high-profile errors. But he is an option for Ten Hag to choose from.
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But we do require strength in depth when it comes to the centre-back position, although game time isn’t a guarantee if Pavard signs. The versatile defender has also made a name for himself as a right-back, which could prove to be an asset to the squad.
