Manchester United and Barcelona-linked right-back Benjamin Pavard has insisted that he has no interest in leaving Bayern Munich, seemingly putting an end to speculation over his future.
The French World Cup winner is only under contract at the Allianz Arena until the end of next season and has been strongly linked with a departure over the past several months.
Bayern could consider selling Pavard in the summer lest they risk letting him leave for free in 2024, and the 26-year-old would not be short of offers if he does decide to seek pastures new.
Barcelona are thought to be considering a summer move for Pavard after holding off on a January approach, while Man United are also understood to be keeping a close eye on his future.
The Red Devils are still working to tie Diogo Dalot down to a new contract, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka is being strongly linked with a move back to Crystal Palace.
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Meanwhile, ex-Stuttgart man Pavard now faces added competition at right-back from Manchester City loanee Joao Cancelo, whom Bayern can sign permanently for €70m (£61.9m) in the summer.
However, Pavard recently told Sport1 that he never announced his intentions to leave the club, and he hopes to win "as many titles as possible" under Julian Nagelsmann.
"I never said I wanted to go. I know very well that I'm in a very big club where everything is excellently positioned. Whether it's the team, the physiotherapists, the people in charge, there's a great atmosphere everywhere," Pavard said.
"I feel very comfortable here, I like the club and the fans and I hope we can achieve great things this season. I'm not one to disembark mid-voyage. My goal was definitely to stay at Bayern.
"I am determined to give everything for the club and for the team and I want to win as many titles as possible with Bayern. I think I performed well even before the World Cup. But that was definitely a good sign and shows the trust that the club has in me.
"I try to do my job as well as possible - and I have the feeling that the fans in Munich respect me for that. And vice versa, I like the atmosphere here at the club and the relationship with the fans, who are very important to us."
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Pavard left Stuttgart in 2019 to sign for Bayern, where he would have the unenviable task of trying to fill Philipp Lahm's boots, and he has since made 148 appearances for the perennial German champions.
The France international has nine goals and 12 assists to his name for the Bavarian giants, and he has played the full 90 in each of their last four Bundesliga games, but he was sent off in their Champions League last-16 first-leg win over Paris Saint-Germain back in February.
Pavard's hopes of staying at Bayern were recently boosted by director Hasan Salihamidzic, who admitted to Bild that it would be "difficult" for his side to cough up the fee needed to sign Cancelo permanently.
"After the transfer was done, we actually thought again about how long we've been dealing with Joao. We came up with more than four years. Either our position was filled or we didn't have the money for it," Salihamidzic said.
"We're playing with open cards. This sum is difficult for us to imagine in the next few years. If all sides really want a common solution, you can manage that in the end. He knows that he has been one of our dream players for years."
Pavard will reunite with his former club when Bayern travel to take on Stuttgart on Saturday evening, where victory would keep them top of the Bundesliga table ahead of Borussia Dortmund, who are only behind on goal difference.
