La Liga heavyweights Barcelona reportedly want to sign 26-year-old French international Benjamin Pavard from Bayern Munich in January.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona will prioritise signing a right-back in the January transfer window. And 26-year-old Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard is one of the candidates on the Catalan club’s shortlist.
Benjamin Pavard has been a household name in the Bundesliga for the last half a dozen years. The French international arrived in Germany in August 2016 when he joined VfB Stuttgart from LOSC Lille. And his stock has skyrocketed since moving to Bayern Munich in July 2019. The player also won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with Les Bleus along the way.
The 26-year-old is enjoying a solid 2022/23 season, turning out 21 times for Bayern Munich while chipping in with four goals. But Pavard’s days at the Allianz Arena might be numbered following his recent comments. With the Frenchman ready for a new challenge, his situation has captured the attention of Barcelona.
The Catalan giants want to sign a right-back next year, with the position being a problem area since Dani Alves’s first stint with the club ended several years ago. Barcelona bolstered the right-back unit in the summer by signing Hector Bellerin as a free agent. But the Spaniard has been a dud thus far.
Recent reports have claimed that Bellerin will not remain at Spotify Camp Nou beyond the ongoing season. And the Spanish international might even leave Barcelona in January amid interest from AS Roma. So it is understandable why Barcelona might be prioritising signing a right-back this coming winter.
Pavard recently emerged as a viable target for the Blaugrana. But the 26-year-old French international is not the only candidate on Barcelona’s shortlist. Juan Foyth and Diogo Dalot are the other two defenders on the Catalan club’s radar. But Dalot is reportedly an “impossible target” for Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich might not be open to offloading Pavard midway through the season. So Foyth might be the only realistic target for Barcelona, provided they balance their books in time to complete a signing. For now, a January move seems likely for 26-year-old French international Pavard.
