Mega-deal falls through! ManCity was desperate to sign the Bayern star | OneFootball

Aleksandar Pavlovic has long been one of FC Bayern’s most important players. A spectacular move by Manchester City shows just how sought-after the German national team player has become on the international transfer market.

The Premier League club was desperate to sign the midfielder last summer and was apparently willing to dig deep into its pockets to do so.

As reported by the BILD podcast“Bayern Insider,” the English club was actively pursuing Pavlovic. An initial inquiry is said to have been made as early as March. At Manchester City, the Bayern pro was reportedly considered the top choice for central midfield.

Coach Enzo Maresca is said to have even personally gotten involved in the efforts to sign Pavlovic. According to the report, Manchester City would have been willing to put together a total package of up to 100 million euros for the German national team player.

Pavlovic wasn’t interested in a transfer

However, concrete negotiations between the two clubs never even took place. The decisive reason for this was Pavlovic himself.

The midfielder feels extremely comfortable at FC Bayern and had no interest in leaving Munich. For this reason, he rejected the approach from Manchester before City could even submit an official offer to the German record champions.

According to the report, officials at Säbener Straße were aware of the Premier League club’s interest. However, due to the player’s clear stance, a concrete offer regarding a transfer fee never made it to the table.

For Bayern, this decision sends a strong signal. Pavlovic came up through the club’s own youth system and, within just a few years, has developed from a campus prospect into an integral part of the professional team. He is now also a member of the German national team.

Winning the Champions League title with Bayern is his main goal

MUNICH, GERMANY – AUGUST 28: Aleksandar Pavlovic of Bayern Munich controls the ball during the 2026/27 Bundesliga match between FC Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart at Allianz Arena on August 28, 2026, in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

Apparently, his loyalty to FC Bayern wasn’t the only factor in his decision to turn down Manchester City. Pavlovic also has big athletic goals with the club where he came up through the ranks.

The midfielder wants to win the Champions League with the Munich club. His ambitions align with those of Vincent Kompany, who has openly declared winning the Champions League this season as a goal.

Pavlovic is likely to play an important role in this effort. In central midfield, he and Joshua Kimmich are among the Bayern coach’s top choices. Pavlovic was also in the starting lineup for the 5-1 Bundesliga opener against VfB Stuttgart and scored a goal.

After Pavlovic turned down a move to England, Manchester City looked elsewhere. The English club ultimately signed Ayyoub Bouaddi to bolster their central midfield.

For Bayern, the transfer saga thus ended before it had even really begun.