Premier League giants Manchester United have reportedly agreed to terms “in principle” with Juventus for their French midfielder Paul Pogba.
According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio (h/t Get French Football), a fee of €120 million has been agreed for Paul Pogba. It is understood that United will soon be making a bid that Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola will present to Juventus after the European Championships. If the deal goes through, Pogba will become the world’s most expensive footballer.
Breaking | Manchester United have a contract agreement in principle with Paul Pogba, according to @DiMarzio.
— Get French Football (@GFFN) July 6, 2016
The Red Devils made their first “firm offer” for the French sensation in early May, but doubts loomed about the player’s interests due to the lack of Champions League football. With star-studded names recently added to the United roster, Pogba might give second thoughts to the possibility of a return to Old Trafford.
In mid-June, Spanish side Real Madrid made their interests known for the player, when a reported swap deal was proposed with Juventus for Toni Kroos. Real manager Zinedine Zidane is believed to be a fan of the French midfielder and spoke about him in an interview with Marca. “Everyone wants Pogba because he is a great talent, but he is a Juventus player,” he said. It is also understood that the French manager asked the Real Madrid board to prioritize signing Barcelona’s Neymar over the 22-year old.
Paul Pogba: Was the highest rated (7.81) player in Serie A this season, scoring 8 goals & registering 12 assists pic.twitter.com/vYZh3C87A4
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) May 29, 2016
Ever since the saga began, it was a three-horse race, with Ligue 1 giants Paris St. Germain also keeping tabs on the player. In May, Juventus had dismissed allegations that the midfielder was in talks with the French club. Since then, PSG has looked elsewhere for alternatives, and have already completed the signing of highly-rated Polish midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak from Sevilla.
Road clear for Manchester United?
By the look of things, United seems to be the front-runners to sign Paul Pogba, should he decide to leave Turin. Despite the player being inclined towards a move to Madrid, it is understood that Los Blancos’ president Florentino Perez would not shell out that kind of money for a player he has doubts about. With Casemiro showing tremendous progress and with Luka Modric and Toni Kroos also performing beyond expectations, a move for Pogba would make little sense.
Manchester United lack a world-class creative presence in midfield, and would do well with a player of Pogba’s calibre. The Frenchman can play in the number 6 and number 8 positions – something Mourinho said captain Wayne Rooney would not. Juventus could also make a tremendous profit from a player they got on a free transfer from the Red Devils. Given the fact that Pogba is keen to make a move, at the current juncture, Old Trafford seems to be his most plausible destination.
