Bayern Munich midfielder Lazar Pavlovic rejected a Manchester City approach worth up to 100 million euros, according to Bild chief football editor Florian Faelk.
Faelk reports that Pavlovic was City’s top target in that position, and that manager Enzo Maresca was personally and actively involved in the effort to bring him to the club.
City never submitted a formal offer to Bayern Munich despite the sustained pursuit. Bayern had already been made aware of City’s interest before any official bid was lodged.
Interest that began in March
According to Faelk, Manchester City made their first approach over Pavlovic as far back as March of this year, making this one of the longer-running transfer pursuits of the window.
That early contact did not translate into a formal proposal. City’s interest remained at the inquiry stage throughout, and no official offer was ever placed in front of Bayern Munich.
Bayern were nonetheless aware of what City wanted. The German club knew of the Premier League side’s intentions even as no paperwork arrived.
Why Pavlovic said no
Faelk reports that the Germany international is settled at Bayern Munich and has no desire to leave. He is comfortable at the club and sees his future there.
The central reason Pavlovic declined City’s invitation is his ambition to win the Champions League with Bayern Munich. That goal made a move to Manchester unappealing regardless of the financial package on offer.
With Pavlovic unwilling to move, City were left without their preferred option at the position. Maresca’s personal involvement in the recruitment drive had not been enough to change the player’s mind.
City move on and sign Bouaddi
After Pavlovic made his position clear, Manchester City changed course and completed the signing of Bouaddi. Faelk’s report names Bouaddi as the alternative City turned to once the Pavlovic pursuit came to nothing.
The sequence of events, as laid out by Faelk, is straightforward: City identified Pavlovic in March, pursued him through the window with Maresca’s backing, received a rejection, and then secured Bouaddi instead.
