“I’m pretty relaxed" - Thomas Tuchel wants to keep Barcelona and Manchester City target at Bayern Munich
Despite strong interest from Barcelona and Manchester City, Thomas Tuchel is confident of keeping Benjamin Pavard at Bayern Munich.
Pavard, 27, has been a part of the German club since 2019. He has so far made 162 appearances for the club, scoring 12 goals and providing 12 assists. The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner's future in Bavaria, though, looked bleak as he was not on very good terms with Julian Nagelsmann.
After Tuchel was appointed following Nagelsmann's sacking, Pavard once again became an important player for the Bundesliga giants. He ended the campaign by scoring seven goals and providing one assist in 43 matches across competitions.
Benjamin Pavard has attracted interest from several top European clubs, including the likes of Barcelona, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Juventus.
Thomas Tuchcel, however, is confident of keeping the French full-back in Munich for the 2023-24 season. He said (as per Mia San Mia):
“I’m pretty relaxed. The situation is not as clear as you said. It’s kind of the story, but not exactly. We’re waiting, he’s a very reliable defender. We’ll treat him as if he has a 10-yr contract.”
Signing a right-back is one of Barca's main priorities. They used Jules Kounde as a makeshift player in that position during the 2022-23 season. While it looked like Kounde will once again be used in that position, Fabrizio Romano reported that Manchester City's Joao Cancelo has agreed personal terms with the Blaugrana.
Barcelona youngster Pablo Torre has been loaned out to Girona
Throughout the years, the esteemed La Masia Academy has been famous for producing world-class talents who have lit up the football world. One of the most highly touted prospects to come out of the academy in recent times is Pablo Torre.
Torre, though, struggled for game time in Barcelona's first team during the 2022-23 season. He made only 13 appearances across competitions, scoring one goal and providing one assist.
Speaking about him going out on loan at Girona, Torre said (via Mundo Deportivo):
“A player always wants to play and I didn’t have a very good time either. I try to come here with the utmost enthusiasm. In the short term, obviously, I think about Girona. Logically, I also think about succeeding at Barça but now I just want to do well here and enjoy myself with my teammates.”
Torre, however, is only 20 years old. After gaining some valuable experience out on loan, he could come back and establish himself as a key player for Barcelona in the near future.