Aheed Abrar
Manchester United were keen on Bayern Munich right-back Benjamin Pavard in the summer
Manchester United were looking to bring in Bayern Munich right-back Benjamin Pavard in the recent transfer window, according to Telefoot (h/t Manchester Evening News).
The Red Devils wanted to get a player to challenge Diogo Dalot for a place in the starting XI. The Portuguese has cemented his place in the team. However, no backup was signed this summer.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka stayed at United after speculation around his future. The Red Devils wanted to sell him but could not find a solution for the 24-year-old’s future. Hence, the Manchester-based club dropped plans to add depth to the right-back spot.
Wan-Bissaka joined United from Crystal Palace in 2019. The 24-year-old had shown his qualities in English football’s first tier at Selhuerst Park. His defensive abilities are what seemingly made him an attractive proposition. However, fans have been underwhelmed by his contribution in the final third.
Wan-Bissaka was a regular under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian preferred the England U21 international over the other options in the squad. However, the arrival of Ralf Rangnick changed his fortunes.
The interim United boss gave Dalot more minutes in the side. Subsequently, the 23-year-old displaced Wan-Bissaka from the starting XI. And the trend has continued under Erik ten Hag.
Pavard joined the Bavarians in the summer of 2019 from VfB Stuttgart. The 26-year-old was a massive part of Didier Deschamps’ French side that won the 2018 World Cup. The right-back scored an audacious goal against Argentina in the round-of-16 to beat La Albiceleste 4-3.
In the Bundesliga, Pavard has mostly played as a right-back for Bayern. However, the France international is also capable of playing in the centre-back position.
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Dalot has started every game this season under the new manager. However, he has evidently not been given enough rest. With the 2022/23 campaign being congested due to the Qatar World Cup, it would have been wise to bring in additional reinforcements like Pavard to strengthen the squad.
