After Manchester City kicked things off in the new Premier League campaign with a 3-0 victory over Burnley, Liverpool will be focusing on doing everything possible to get back into title contention this season.
The Reds have stepped up their transfer activity over the past week amid a Moisés Caicedo transfer saga, but while defensive midfield remains a priority to fill the voids left by both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, there is still another area of the pitch that requires attention.
Liverpool’s attack demonstrated plenty of positives from this summer’s pre-season, with link-up play and promising performances in advanced areas, but the same can’t be said for its defense which has failed to display any signs of consistency. And it is against one of the recent opponents where Jürgen Klopp’s solution could lie.
At a time when Liverpool is in need of proven quality over a long-term project, Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard is available for a price that is in line with FSG’s transfer strategy. The 27-year-old, a compatriot of Ibrahima Konaté having earned 49 caps for the France senior national team, entered the final year of his contract at the Allianz Arena in June, and he is believed to be looking for a new challenge.
According to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Manchester United is currently leading the race to land him, with talks ongoing over a potential move worth $33m (£26m/€30m).
Thomas Tuchel is said to be keen to keep him at the club, with Pavard making 30 Bundesliga appearances in the title-winning campaign last season, but there is little the German club can do if he wants to leave — with clubs outside of Germany able to sign him for free on a pre-contract agreement in January.
