Barcelona faces the final hours of the transfer window with a strange feeling. The board, led by Joan Laporta, had already made it clear there were no major intentions to make a move.
Hansi Flick, satisfied with his squad, hadn't demanded urgent signings. However, the coach wasn't closing the door to a quality reinforcement, especially in defense.
Íñigo Martínez's departure left an obvious gap. Neither Ronald Araújo nor Andreas Christensen can offer exactly what the Basque center-back contributed. That absence has forced the club to look for options, even though its financial margin is minimal.
An unexpected proposal from Italy
Amid this context, a call came in that surprised everyone. Inter Milan, in a delicate situation, was willing to listen to offers for one of its defenders. It wasn't Bastoni, the great impossible dream, but Benjamin Pavard.
The Frenchman, with experience at Bayern Munich and in the 2018 World Cup, fit the profile Barça was looking for. Fast, intelligent, and with a clean ball exit. An ideal complement for Pau Cubarsí, the young gem of the culé backline.
The main obstacle: money
But Barcelona's financial reality prevailed again. The club isn't in a position for major spending. Any operation must go through a thorough analysis: transfer fee, salary, and above all, feasibility to register the player in LaLiga.
Laporta made it clear: green light for Pavard only if all conditions are met. Those conditions, with the window about to close, were difficult to achieve. Inter wasn't willing to give away a player with an international reputation.
Pavard, a profile that inspired excitement
The French defender isn't just a solid center-back; he can play as a right-back and offer tactical alternatives. At 29, he's experiencing a moment of footballing maturity. He would've brought experience and balance to a defense in which Cubarsí keeps growing by leaps and bounds.
For Flick, Pavard would've been a piece that fit without the need for major adaptations. A footballer used to pressure and high-level matches.
A signing that won't be completed
In the end, time and money worked against the club. Barcelona couldn't guarantee the financial and administrative conditions to close the deal. The dream of seeing Pavard alongside Cubarsí is, for now, on hold.
The window will close without that "last big move" some had desired. Barça trusts the talent it already has, with Cubarsí as one of the defensive leaders of the future. The feeling is that a unique opportunity slipped away.