Liverpool Monitoring World Cup Winning Star Pavard With Release Clause Set to Come into Effect

Liverpool are keen to sign French World Cup-winning defender Benjamin Pavard in a £35m deal next summer, according to reports.

The versatile 22-year-old can play both at centre back and full back and was a revelation for Stuttgart last season in the Bundesliga.

After an impressive World Cup campaign with France, where he scored the goal of the tournament with a sublime volley from the edge of the box into the far corner of the net, Pavard has been attracting a lot of interest from major European clubs.

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Both Liverpool and Bayern Munich were known to be among the player's admirers during the summer, with some reports claiming the German giants had agreed a deal for the young star to move to Bavaria next season.

However, Pavard remains set to spend the 2018/19 season with Stuttgart with his suitors looking to take advantage of a £35m release clause that becomes active in his contract from 2019 - a fee considered well below the current market value of the player.

Liverpool have identified that clause as of interest to them, with Kick Off reporting the Anfield club are very keen to make a move.

According to the report, the release clause involves whether or not Stuttgart qualify for the Champions League. The German club only managed a seventh-placed finish last season.

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Pavard moved to Stuttgart in August 2016 from French side Lille. In his two years at the German side he has made 55 league appearances and scored two goals. He has also made 12 senior international appearances for France, having made his debut against Wales in November 2017.

Pavard has scored the solitary senior international goal - that incredible strike against Argentina at the World Cup.