OM: Why Inter Didn’t Fight to Keep Benjamin Pavard

A whirlwind arrival that left its mark on the transfer window

OM made a splash by snatching Benjamin Pavard from Inter on the final day of the window. Loan with a fee, option to buy set at €15m, 2018 World Cup winner and ex-Bayern: on paper, one of the best deals of the summer. But in Milan, the Nerazzurri hierarchy didn’t really fight to keep him. A reality that warrants explanation.

Inter prioritizes the future

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the choice came down to Pavard or Yann Bisseck. Verdict: the club is banking on the young German, courted by Crystal Palace and Newcastle, who could still bring in a hefty resale fee. Pavard, approaching 30, no longer had the same market value. For its part, Il Giorno offers another take: the arrival of Manuel Akanji, on loan from Manchester City, provided an alternative deemed more reliable and more versatile.

Conduct called into question

Also according to the Italian press, the former Lille man didn’t have many allies in the dressing room or internally. Inter reportedly felt his behavior wasn’t always beyond reproach, which ultimately convinced the management to move on. Il Giorno sums it up: “Pavard had lost the club’s trust. Replacing him with Akanji, an experienced player who can also play in midfield or on the left, was seen as a winning choice.”

Marseille, a fresh start

If Inter deemed his departure timely, OM see in Pavard a leader capable of organizing their defense and bringing welcome composure. It remains to be seen whether the Frenchman can turn this new adventure into a renaissance. Because in Marseille, the pressure is constant — but the Vélodrome can also become a formidable springboard.