MILAN (AP) — Champions League finalist Inter Milan has acquired defender Benjamin Pavard from Bayern Munich.
Pavard, a World Cup winner with France in 2018 and a Champions League winner with Bayern in 2020, spent four years with the German champions. He’s the second player that Inter has signed from Bayern in this transfer period after goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
The transfer, announced by Inter late Wednesday, is reportedly worth 30 million euros ($33 million) — making him among the most expensive players arriving in Italy this season. Pavard signed a five-year contract with the Nerazzurri.
Pavard said he talked with both Sommer and France teammate Marcus Thuram, who also recently joined Inter.
“We spoke a few times," Pavard said. "Marcus and I were texting. He told me that the atmosphere here is amazing, that this is a top club. I’m happy to be at a team of this level.”
Pavard, whose contract at Bayern was due to expire at the end of the season, was often deployed as a right back at Bayern but has said he would prefer to be a central defender.
The France international has been limited to only 45 minutes in the German Super Cup so far this season and missed Bayern’s first two league games. Bayern said last week he had an illness that was preventing him from training at the time.
Pavard has played 49 times for France and won the World Cup in 2018, scoring a swerving volley against Argentina in the quarterfinals that was voted the goal of the tournament. He was in the squad for last year’s World Cup but only played one group game as France finished runner-up.
Inter, which was beaten by Manchester City in the Champions League final, has won its opening two Serie A matches — both by scores of 2-0.
Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni, Francesco Acerbi and Matteo Darmian have been Inter's top choices in coach Simone Inzaghi's preferred three-man defense.
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