Transfer Rumour Mongering: Bayern Centerback Edition

Liverpool wasted no time making their first signing of the summer, 2022 World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister. The midfielder is the first player to be brought in to address Liverpool’s thin and aging midfield. However, it was clear after last season that this summer would bring plenty of movement into and out of the team, so speculation is on who the Reds are looking for next.

Where once Liverpool’s defense was a powerhouse, it too has begun to weaken as players like Virgil van Dijk and Joël Matip both enter their 30s. It’s no wonder, then, that eyes are also on the center-back prospects currently available around Europe.

27-year-old Frenchman Benjamin Pavard is looking to leave Bayern this summer, and has been linked to the Reds. Pavard won the World Cup with France in Russia back in 2018 and he is currently four years into a five year contract.

According to Sky Sports Germany, the Bavarian powerhouse club would be willing to let him go this summer for somewhere in the range of £25m-£35m. Several European clubs are said to be interested in the player including both Manchester clubs and Inter Milan.

If Jürgen Klopp and the transfer committee are looking towards a long term rebuild, Pavard is on the wrong side of 25 years old. More likely, they will go with someone younger to pair with van Dijk in the back. However, it’s possible that they are looking to bring in multiple new players in the role. Or, like with Thiago Alcantara, they’ve decided he’s worth the money and has plenty of years left in him at the top level.

Whatever happens, Mac Allister’s quick signing and Liverpool’s proven penchant for early moves in the transfer window mean that we will likely find out Pavard’s fate soon.