Barca News
Barcelona were looking to sign several players during the summer transfer window, with several missing from their starting lineup. Sergio Busquets had already decided to leave the club on a free transfer, while Ansu Fati and Abdessamad left Catalunya during the final days of the window.
The right-back position also had to be strengthened, as Jules Kounde was not happy playing in that position for another season. The Frenchman, at his best as a centre-back, wanted to return to his position.
While Xavi was happy to keep Sergi Roberto in the team, the Spaniard did not have the quality of the starting XI anymore and, therefore, the club targeted someone who would be comfortable with the ball in the wide and central positions.
Before signing Joao Cancelo, one of the players they were targeting was Bayern Munich’s Benjamin Pavard. In fact, the Frenchman was on the club’s radars during last January’s window as well.
According to Sport, it was none other than Ousmane Dembélé who advised Xavi and co not to sign Pavard during the January window this year.
As such, Barcelona stopped their pursuit in its tracks, and the player ended up joining Inter Milan during the summer transfer window.
Pavard was France’s regular starter when they won the 2018 World Cup, playing as a right-back for Didier Deschamps’ side. However, he was left out of the squad during the 2022 edition, and was replaced by Jules Kounde.
There were reports from the French camp claiming that the players were not particularly happy with Pavard’s performance and quality. This list of protesters included Ousmane Dembélé.
Furthermore, there were also claims that Pavard was an isolated figure in the dressing room, and a conflicted character. This is what Dembele advised Barcelona to do.
The 26-year-old ended up leaving Barcelona himself in the summer when PSG contacted him. The Catalan team signed Joao Felix as a replacement, and Vitor Roque is expected to arrive in the winter.
