Liverpool have received a boost in their pursuit of Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard, with the France international informing the Bundesliga champions of his desire to part ways this summer.
What's the latest on Benjamin Pavard to Liverpool?
That's according to 90min, who state that the 27-year-old has 'indicated his desire' to depart from the Allianz Arena with just one year left on his current deal.
Interest in his signature is mounting; Bayern are demanding as much as €30m (£26m), with Manchester United engaged in discussion with his representatives and further intrigue from the likes of Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Inter Milan.
Liverpool are looking to make a range of changes this summer, and with the right-side of the defence among the areas targetted for reinforcement, Pavard could be the optimum acquisition.
Should Liverpool sign Benjamin Pavard?
There has been a tremendous state of flux down Liverpool's right flank for the past several years.
Jurgen Klopp's high-octane and oft-suffocating system has provided Mohamed Salah with the license to channel the full might of his prolific brilliance, supplemented by the creative ingenuity of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The wheels have fallen off this term though, with the Reds failing to qualify for the Champions League and in need of a rebuild – especially in the engine room, chastened for its decline and now waving goodbye to James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, contracts concluded.
However, a late-season purple patch arose from a tactical shuffle that shifted Alexander-Arnold into the half-spaces, inverting his typical marauding role and slotting him alongside Fabinho at the nub of Klopp's team, utilising his ball-playing prowess in a newfound deployment.
This highlights the importance of a first-rate, and variegated, right-back to provide competition and a new dimension to Liverpool's squad, and Pavard most certainly fits the bill.
The World Cup-winning ace, who can play both centrally and out wide in the backline, is something of a ball-playing whiz himself but where Alexander-Arnold finds fruit in his box-surging runs and his deadly sprayed passes, the £84k-per-week Munich star plays a more industrious and simplistic role.
Klopp would be wise to target someone of Pavard's ilk to ensure Salah can continue to flourish at full throttle, simultaneously opening up a completely new slant to the way the squad constructs creativity down the right.
Indeed, as per FBref, the "underrated" talent – as dubbed by his current boss Thomas Tuchel – ranks among the top 1% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90, also ranking among the top 3% for pass completion.
This is largely down to Pavard's reluctance to play crosses, averaging just 0.4 per game this season as opposed to Alexander-Arnold's 2.2 across the current campaign, where he consequently ranks among the bottom 41% of positional peers for pass completion. And this could, in turn, pave a vibrant-hued and dynamic edge to the Egyptian's game.
Salah scored 30 goals and supplied a further 16 assists across 51 appearances in a stunning individual year, thriving prolifically despite Liverpool's woes, and still only 30-years-old, he could benefit from Pavard's own brand of auxiliary support.
With the £350k-per-week magician ranking among the top 3% of positional peers for rate of non-penalty goals per 90, the top 1% for touches in the opposing box per 90 and the top 7% for progressive passes received per 90, Pavard's crisp distribution could maintain such imperious figures.
Once hailed as a "real talent" by Thomas Hitzlsperger, Pavard's procurement is paramount for Klopp and co; a right-back is desired, and the 47-cap France phenom is the perfect option.
