Paul Pogba‘s agent is trying to engineer a sensational deal for the Manchester United star to leave Old Trafford for Barcelona.
Mino Raiola has been in detailed discussions with the Spanish club over signing the midfielder, two years after he rejoined United from Juventus for £89million. Pogba returned for pre-season training on Monday after winning the World Cup with France, and sources close to him say he would be open to a move.
United insisted on Monday night that Pogba is not for sale and they are believed to have rejected an opening offer from Barcelona of £44.6million plus two players – Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes. It seems inconceivable that United would let go of their record signing, and Pogba’s camp accept it will be difficult to complete a deal before the transfer window closes. However, the fact that Raiola is touting Pogba to Barcelona – apparently with his client’s blessing – is a worrying development for United after a difficult pre-season, and comes so close to United’s Premier League opener at home to Leicester on Friday.
United are aware that it could be a ploy by Pogba’s representative to secure him a new contract on the same terms as £500,000-a-week top earner Alexis Sanchez. Raiola is known to have approached United about a raise for Pogba after Sanchez moved to Old Trafford from Arsenal in January. But this isn’t the first time the 25-year-old’s future at Old Trafford has been in doubt. Raiola, who took a staggering £41m cut of Pogba’s then world record fee when he returned to Old Trafford from Italy in 2016, sounded out some of Europe’s top clubs in January and Pep Guardiola confirmed that the player had been offered to Manchester City.
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