Pavard aims to win Chivu over as Inter stay hangs on pre-season
Quick summary
Benjamin Pavard must impress new Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu during pre-season to secure his future at the club, amid ongoing defensive reshuffling.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceBenjamin Pavard has returned to Inter determined to earn a second chance, with Cristian Chivu leaving the door open to keeping the France defender for the new season.
According to Corriere dello Sport, via TuttoMercatoWeb , Pavard is back at the club after a loan spell at Marseille and has thrown himself into pre-season with a changed attitude, intent on putting a difficult recent period behind him.
His future remains unresolved, but the summer training camp offers an important opportunity to prove he can still be useful to Inter’s plans, and the former Bayern Munich man wants his chances of staying to rest purely on his performances.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – MAY 23: Cristian Chivu head coach of FC Internazionale during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and FC Internazionale at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on May 23, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images) Chivu keeps door open as Pavard future to be decided after camp From the coach’s side, there are no closed doors. Chivu is said to have appreciated the defender’s approach from the earliest days of work, with Pavard determined to put himself fully at the team’s service.
A year ago, all parties had judged a separation to be the best solution, but the picture has shifted, and a final verdict will come in the weeks ahead, once the squad is at full strength with the returning World Cup contingent.
Chivu’s man-management could prove decisive in that process. The coach has already shown his qualities as a mediator, having helped repair the relationship between Hakan Calhanoglu and Lautaro Martinez in the past.
Now it falls to Pavard to convince everyone, on and off the pitch, that his return can become a fresh opportunity rather than a loose end, a notable turn for a player who had figured among Inter’s possible defensive departures this summer.
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
Benjamin Pavard's future at Inter Milan is uncertain, with the French defender needing to convince new head coach Cristian Chivu that he deserves a place in the squad. Inter have already strengthened their defensive options during the transfer window, putting Pavard's role under threat. The pre-season period will be decisive for Pavard, who will need to perform strongly in training and friendly matches to remain part of Chivu's plans. If he fails to impress, Inter could look to offload the former Bayern Munich and Lille centre-back.
Chance analysis
Pavard's situation represents a common squad-overhaul scenario at a top Serie A club. With Inter already investing in new defensive signings and a new head coach in Chivu evaluating his options, Pavard faces a genuine fight for his place. For prediction systems, this signals defensive uncertainty at Inter going into the new season, with personnel decisions still fluid. A potential departure could also impact Inter's transfer market strategy and budget.
Pavard's Inter future is at risk if he fails to impress Chivu in pre-season, potentially weakening Inter's defensive depth or freeing up transfer budget.
Inter Milan's defensive lineup and starting XI remain uncertain heading into the new season due to Pavard's uncertain status and the coaching change to Chivu.