Manchester United are still in the race for Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard, and a new report has now revealed they are ready to make an offer…
Who is Benjamin Pavard signing for?
Pavard is at the centre of a transfer saga, with a number of Europe's top clubs vying for his signature, including Inter Milan, with it recently being reported he has agreed personal terms on a four-year deal with the Serie A side.
Inter have not yet agreed a fee with Bayern Munich, however, and Man United are willing to offer him more money to move to Old Trafford, which could potentially give them an advantage in the race for the centre-back.
Fabrizio Romano has recently taken to X to share quotes from Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta, who has given a new update on the Italian club's pursuit, saying: “Pavard? Deal on. We are still negotiating with Bayern”
“Player’s will is crucial and he wants to join Inter. Bayern need a replacement to let him leave, this is the issue. But talks are ongoing”.
Inter seem to be progressing in their pursuit of the Frenchman, but they are still negotiating, and the door may be open for some of the other interested clubs to hijack the move, including Arsenal and Man United.
According to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness), United have informed Bayern they have €40m (£34m) "ready" to spend on the defender, but they will need to move Harry Maguire on before they are able to pursue a deal.
Maguire refusing to sign for West Ham United has thrown a spanner in the works for Erik ten Hag, but he retains an interest in the Bayern star, even though he would be happy to move to the San Siro.
The Red Devils are willing to outspend Inter in order to win the race for the former Lille man, which means Bayern are currently holding out for a bid of £34m from the Italian club, so there may still be time to hijack the move, if Maguire is sold.
Read The Latest Man United Transfer News HERE
How good is Benjamin Pavard?
As per WhoScored, the France international was the highest-rated centre-back in Europe's top five leagues last season, particularly impressing with his passing ability, averaging the third-highest number of passes per game in the Bundesliga.
On the other hand, Maguire is poor in possession of the ball, averaging a pass-completion rate of just 84.5% per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 47th percentile compared to his positional peers.
As such, Pavard could definitely be an improvement in that regard, while he has also averaged far more tackles per 90 during that timeframe, indicating he could be a real upgrade on Maguire defensively.
The former Stuttgart man is versatile, capable of playing at both right-back and centre-back, and he has plenty of experience competing for major honours, winning 13 trophies throughout his career, including the 2018 World Cup.
Pavard could be a fantastic replacement for Maguire, having been hailed as "excellent" by members of the media, but Man United will need to sell the 30-year-old quickly if they are to stand a chance of beating Inter Milan to the Frenchman's signature.