German giants Bayern Munich have decided to retain Benjamin Pavard amid interest from Manchester United
According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, Manchester United’s hopes of signing Benjamin Pavard this summer have been dashed as Bayern Munich have opted to retain the player.
The Red Devils had shown interest in securing the French defender’s services earlier this month as part of a deal that involved selling Harry Maguire to West Ham United.
However, the United centre-back’s failed move to the Hammers has created a roadblock in their pursuit of roping in Pavard.
While Man United have not provided any recent developments in this transfer, Bayern have chosen to make a decision of their own by retaining their star player.
Although the 27-year-old’s contract runs until the summer of 2024, the Bavarian giants have no intentions of parting ways with him, according to Plettenberg.
Pavard has been a key player for the Bundesliga champions, amassing 163 appearances since joining from Stuttgart in July 2019.
The versatile defender enjoyed significant game time under Thomas Tuchel’s management last season, featuring in 43 matches across all competitions. During that period, he contributed seven goals and one assist.
However, in the current scenario, the Red Devils currently lack the financial resources required for the transfer. Inter Milan have recently made an offer of approximately €25 million for Pavard, but Bayern have not accepted that fee.
From our perspective, the German club’s decision to retain the French international seems strange, given the risk of potentially losing him as a free agent next year.
This decision could also be a strategic move to encourage potential suitors like United and Inter to make offers closer to their desired price.
At the moment, the Red Devils are unable to secure Pavard‘s services without the departure of Maguire, and Financial Fair Play regulations would limit the club’s options.
Ten Hag recently expressed his willingness to keep Maguire in the squad, but interestingly, the defender is absent from today’s game in London.
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There’s still a possibility of a last-minute twist in this situation. Who doesn’t love having a top-class defender on their team? The fans would be more than thrilled to welcome such a surprise signing.
