Benjamin Pavard had verbally agreed to join Premier League giants Manchester United but Fabrizio Romano reports that the Bayern Munich defender is now on his way to Inter Milan instead.
Had Harry Maguire spent the weekend posing in claret-and-blue – arm in arm with a coach who admitted to showing an interest during his brief spell in the Old Trafford dugout a decade ago – Benjamin Pavard might have been on his way to Old Trafford instead.
The World Cup-winning France international – according to Sky Germany – had verbally agreed join Manchester United as a replacement for the then-West Ham-bound Maguire.
The collapse of the latter deal, however, meant that talks with the former would not go any further.
And while United appeared to be Pavard’s first-choice destination, the former Stuttgart ace can at least console himself with a £28 million move to another of Europe’s big-hitters.
Benjamin Pavard now leaving Bayern Munich for Inter Milan
“I understand Inter (Milan) and Bayern have now reached an agreement in principle to sign Benjamin Pavard,” Romano writes on Twitter.
“Deal in place for 30 million euros plus two or three million euros in add ons. Package agreed between clubs and on the player’s side.”
Romano adds that Bayern will look to find a replacement before letting Pavard go. But, with the Bundesliga champions holding talks with a number of defensive targets, it is unlikely that Pavard’s proposed move to the San Siro will hit quite so many obstacles as his now-aborted switch to Old Trafford.
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“Inter agreed all details of the Benjamin Pavard deal with Bayern yesterday,” Romano adds. “And now hope for green light (for him) to arrive today.
“Inter are prepared to book medical tests in Milano on Wednesday or Thursday.”
Pavard has spent much of his time at Bayern as a right-back, but it is believed that Erik ten Hag saw his role at Manchester United as that of a centre-half.