Liverpool appear to have been given a boost regarding one Bundesliga player for whom they’re believed to have made an enquiry
German outlet Kicker reported last week that the Reds had ‘asked about’ Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard, who had seemingly ‘flirted with a farewell’ from the club ‘several times’ over the past year.
According to BILD (via The Mirror), the Frenchman has made it known to Allianz Arena chiefs that he wants to depart the club this summer, with a good chance of the Bavarian giants cashing in due to the 27-year-old’s contract having just 13 months left to run.
READ MORE: Schmadtke’s signed him before: Liverpool have interest in £34.5m Gvardiol alternative
The France international is the latest player from the Bundesliga to become linked with Liverpool in the wake of Jorg Schmadtke being confirmed as the Reds’ new sporting director.
Midfielders will be the club’s main focus over the summer transfer window, although Jurgen Klopp could be seeking one or two defensive reinforcements as well, with Wolfsburg’s Micky van de Ven also touted with a possible move to Anfield.
Perhaps best remembered for his stunning goal against Argentina in the 2018 World Cup, Pavard divided his time almost equally between right-back and the centre of defence for Bayern this season (Transfermarkt).
That versatility could make him a dream for the Liverpool manager, particularly with Trent Alexander-Arnold having been converted to a more advanced role in the final few weeks of the campaign in a hitherto successful experiment.
A return of seven goals in 2022/23 is quite impressive for a defender, with figures from FBref showing that he ranks among the top 3% for numerous attack-minded metrics among centre-backs in Europe’s five main leagues over the past 12 months.
He also features among the top 6% of positional peers for tackles per game (2.44) in that period, so he can perform his bread-and-butter defensive duties consistently in addition to his offensive mindset (FBref).
Liverpool could be competing with Inter Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United for Pavard this summer (Kicker), but if they can fend off those competitors and bring the Frenchman to Anfield, it’d be a sensational coup from Schmadtke.