Real Madrid and Juventus unlikely to have funds for Paul Pogba deal - report
Paul Pogba is set to stay at Manchester United next season as the Premier League outfit are reportedly confident that no clubs can afford the midfielder.
The France international has missed most of the 2019/20 campaign through injury, after being heavily linked with Real Madrid and Juventus last summer.
According to ESPN, sources at Old Trafford are confident that the Word Cup-winning midfielder will stay put beyond the next transfer window.
Mino Raiola, Pogba’s agent, fuelled rumours of an imminent departure by saying that he “wants to take a great player to Real Madrid,” where coach Zinedine Zidane is known to be an admirer of his compatriot.
The 27-year-old’s contract is set to expire in June 2021, although United have the option to trigger a 12-month extension.
Last summer the Red Devils slapped a £180 million price tag on Pogba and while his value is likely to have since dipped with his deal running down, a fee of more than £100m is still likely to be required to prise him away from Manchester.
Given the economic demands of a deal, which would also require a salary of around £300,000 per week, it appears doubtful that Juve or Real could finance the signing.
The uncertainty surrounding the financial state of football amid the coronavirus will further complicate matters, with all of Europe’s major leagues and club competitions currently suspended.
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Metatarsal and ankle injuries have limited Pogba to just eight appearances across all competitions this season, his last coming in a Boxing Day clash with Newcastle.
The Frenchman was due to resume training with the first team shortly before the Premier League ground to a halt on March 13, and he is currently training from home.
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Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.