We 'signed' Benjamin Pavard for Man United and he solved major defensive issue

Bayern Munich star Benjamin Pavard has been linked with Manchester United this summer with Erik ten Hag still looking to strengthen his squad.

United have already brought defenders Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez to the club this summer, with Ten Hag showing a desire to improve his squad defensively. A handful of other defenders have been linked with United in recent weeks, but according to German outlet Sport1, Bayern Munich have offered Pavard to both United and Chelsea.

With Bayern's preferred formation consisting of three centre-backs, Pavard is not guaranteed to start. The report also adds that the 26-year-old is valued at €35m (£30m), a decent price for the defender who played a major role in France's World Cup win in 2018.

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So, what could happen next season for United if they were to sign Pavard? Could the French defender help push United back into the Champions League?

To set up this simulation, we used the Football Manager 2022 editor to arrange for Pavard to sign for United this summer before their Premier League opener. The likes of Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen were also included in the squad.

The Frenchman became a regular for United in the 2022/23 season, making 39 appearances in all competitions. Starting predominantly at right back, Pavard's ability to play centre back saw the Frenchman rotated with Martinez and Raphael Varane, leading to Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof being loaned out in January.

In attack, Pavard wasn't particularly effective, registering no goals and just one assist in all competitions. That one assist came in the Premier League, where he made his most appearances (26). But