FILE - Inter Milan's Benjamin Pavard, left, celebrates with his teammate Lautaro Martinez after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)
September 01, 2025 - 3:33 PM
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Marseille pulled off the biggest move of deadline day in Ligue 1 by signing 2018 World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard from Inter Milan on Monday.
Marseille said the French defender joined on loan and the deal includes a purchase option. According to L'Equipe newspaper, it was set at 15 million euros ($17.5 million).
The 29-year-old Pavard had been playing in Italy since 2023. He returns to the French league for the first time since leaving Lille in 2016. Pavard then spent three seasons at Stuttgart and won multiple titles over four seasons with Bayern Munich.
Pavard became the fourth 2018 World Cup winner to join the French league this summer, following Olivier Giroud (Lille), Paul Pogba (Monaco) and Florian Thauvin (Lens).
In their search for defensive reinforcements, Marseille also confirmed the arrival of Italy international Emerson Palmieri from West Ham.
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