Newcastle United have achieved their Champions League dream this season and will be looking to add serious quality to their squad over the summer.
One man who has been linked with Eddie Howe's side is Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard and the Frenchman could be an incredible addition by the Toon ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
Could Newcastle sign Benjamin Pavard?
According to 90min, Newcastle, Arsenal and Manchester United are all interested in signing the World Cup winner in the upcoming transfer window having scouted him during the recent 3-1 loss against RB Leipzig at the Allianz Arena.
Previous reports have claimed that the former Stuttgart man could be available for as little as €30m (£27m) as his contract with Thomas Tuchel's side is currently set to expire in the summer of 2024, so Bayern could look to cash in this summer.
The Frenchman possesses a huge amount of experience at the top level with Bayern and France, having won three league titles, the Champions League and the World Cup in his career thus far, which suggests that he would be a superb option for Howe to have ahead of the Toon's return to Europe's elite club competition.
Would Pavard be a good signing this summer?
The versatile defender has enjoyed a fine season despite Bayern potentially missing out on the Bundesliga title for the first time since 2012, with four goals and one assist to his name in 29 appearances, which has helped him earn a superb 7.20 average rating from WhoScored.
For context, only Kieran Trippier, Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes have earned better average ratings in Newcastle's squad this campaign, so he could certainly add some quality at St James' Park, although he may struggle to oust Trippier from the starting right-back spot.
Tuchel was full of praise for his right-back earlier in the campaign when a 4-2 win against Borussia Dortmund put Die Roten back in the driving seat for the Meisterschale.
He said: "He's an underrated player. He can adapt to the highest level and defends rigorously. He is a top team player, he immediately had my confidence and proved to me that I had been right."
His defensive abilities are certainly backed up by his stats from the Bundesliga this season, where he has averaged an impressive 2.3 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game, which would rank him second and joint-first in Newcastle's squad.
Squad depth will be vital for the Toon next season if they are to continue their upwards trajectory and while their defence might not be a priority given the performances of Trippier and Sven Botman for example, Pavard represents a player of huge quality and experience, someone who could be vital as they embark on a rare Champions League campaign.
Therefore, Howe should definitely be looking at bringing the France international to St James' Park this summer, as he could be a great player to call upon on major European nights.
This will be a new experience for much of Newcastle's current squad but Pavard not only has Champions League experience, but World Cup experience too, notably winning the tournament back in 2018.