5 players Bayern Munich want to sign in January
Bayern Munich could be set to spend big this month, as much of their transfer budget has remained intact, aside from the mere £9m that was spent on Alphonso Davies in the summer.
Bayern are one of the richest clubs in Europe, so the five transfer targets on this list could all be signed by the Bundesliga champions by the end of this transfer window, should they choose to hunt them all down.
Not adding to their team at the start of the season appears to have affected Bayern Munich's form, and they currently sit second in the Bundesliga, six points behind first-place Borussia Dortmund. The two clubs are fierce rivals, so this simply won't do for a club of Bayern's size and prestige.
In this list, we'll take a look at five players who have been closely linked with the German champions and determine just how probable it is that we'll see them in a Bayern Munich shirt by the end of the window.
#5 Benjamin Pavard (VfB Stuttgart)
Benjamin Pavard is a 22-year-old centre-back who plays for VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. He has also featured for France's national team, having made 18 appearances since his debut in November 2017. This summer, Pavard won the World Cup with France.
Pavard is a product of LOSC Lille's youth academy, having made the switch from the French club to Stuttgart two years ago, in the summer of 2016 for £4.5m. He's remained there ever since, having become a solid first team option; however, his days seem numbered now due to interest from high-profile clubs across Europe all vying for his signature.
After a spectacular summer which saw him win the World Cup with France, Pavard's market value soared to £31.5m, but many expect that for a club to purchase him from Stuttgart, it would cost closer to £50m.
Rumour probability: 8/10
In an interview with Kicker (via Bavarianfootballworks.com), Pavard says that "everything is open" regarding his future. Given he's close to the top of Bayern Munich's list of transfer targets this month, this statement will be music to the ears of Bayern's board.
VfB Stuttgart are in 16th place right now, which makes the prospect of heading to a club closer to the top an ideal offer. But some have suggested that he'd be better off staying to help out Stuttgart in their quest for survival this season, so whether he'll end up leaving is anyone's guess.