France's Pavard signs with Bayern

Berlin, Jan 9 (IANS) French defender Benjamin Pavard is set to join Bayern Munich from Stuttgart after the end of the current season on a five year contract, Munich announced on Wednesday. Benjamin Pavard, 22, who won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France's national soccer team, started his youth career with Lille in 2005 and turned professional with the French side in July 2015, before joining Bundesliga's Stuttgart the next year, reports Efe news. "We have signed Benjamin Pavard for July 1, 2019," Bayern's sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said at the team's winter training camp in Doha, capital of Qatar. "He is a young player and a world champion. We are very glad and proud to have gained such a player for FC Bayern," Salihamidzic added. Bayern did not disclose Pavard's transfer fee but local German media outlets have estimated that Bayern Munich are to pay roughly 35 million euros ($40 million) for the Frenchman. Pavard can play in various defensive positions, as a centre-back, right-back and even a defensive midfielder, and he represented France in six out of seven matches at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Furthermore, Pavard's goal against Argentina in the World Cup's last-16 match was selected as the goal of the 2018 World Cup.
--IANS gau/bg