Paul Pogba is expected to leave Manchester United this summer, according to a report from our partners at Sky Germany.
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Pogba, 26, is said to favor a move to Real Madrid in the summer and it is believed his former club Juventus are also keen on a deal for the World Cup winner.
After Pogba stated last summer that he wanted to move on, he remained at United but has played just seven times this season in the Premier League amid several lingering foot and ankle injuries after two failed comebacks.
Due to the complications of selling and buying in January, the report states that United are holding on to Pogba until the summer but it also states they want a transfer fee of over $195 million for their star midfielder.
Given Mino Raiola, Pogba’s agent, and Man United having a frosty relationship to put it kindly, this saga will rumble on all summer long. Pogba currently has a contract which runs until the summer of 2021 with an option of a further year.
One thing is for sure, it appears United are already trying to move on from Pogba as they’re in talks with Sporting Lisbon’s attacking central midfielder Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese international has end product and is a player they wanted to sign in the summer but Sporting’s president refused to sell.
However, with reports stating that Fernandes now wants to move in January, it could appear United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are lining up their dominoes to fall ahead of a possible Pogba departure.
Pogba’s quality is undoubted and in his most recent comeback before getting injured he dazzled in United’s 4-1 win against Newcastle and in a brief cameo against Watford.
His talent is undoubted and although this season he’s been injured, the noises around Pogba suggest he is already thinking about his next challenge. Maybe United are now just going to play him sparingly and not risk a further injury to Pogba, given his huge value in the transfer market.
It would be best for everyone concerned if Pogba moves on this summer and it seems increasingly likely that United and his agent will be locked in an almighty battle during the summer window.
