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What's the rumour?
According to sources, Barcelona are keen on signing 2018 World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard. The Catalans will have to shell out €30m to exercise his release clause. Pavard plays as a right-back/center-back for France, and German club VfB Stuttgart.
The Spanish giants have been keeping tabs on him for a few years, and after his exceptional performance in the 2018 World Cup, want him in their side.
In case you didn't know..
The 22-year-old is one of the best modern-day defenders in the world. His meteoric rise has been noticed by many of the Spanish clubs including Barcelona and Juventus.
He scored a sensational volley against Argentina, which was voted the World Cup’s goal of the tournament.
The heart of the matter
Barcelona have Samuel Umtiti, Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet, and Thomas Vermaelen in their squad as center-backs. It is only at the right-back position where they need someone of the caliber of Pavard to come in and deliver. Nelson Semedo has not been in the best form this year, so the need to sign a top-quality player has grown tremendously.
Pavard's excellent performances at the 2018 World Cup and also at Stuttgart have increased his market value significantly.
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Rumour probability/rating: 6/10
Calciomercato are quite a reliable source and the fact that they have reported this news means the signing could indeed happen in the near future. Considering the form Pavard has been in, €30m would be a steal.
What's next?
The January transfer window will be interesting to witness as the Catalans will go full throttle in their attempts to sign Pavard. Meanwhile, coming to the player himself, he should just focus on enhancing his skills and gaining experience at Stuttgart.
