Manchester United are expecting to complete the signing of Paul Pogba in the next 48 hours according to latest reports in The Guardian.
This will come as a major relief to the red half of Manchester as the noises coming out of Real Madrid sounded very ominous today.
Manchester United fans have been waiting patiently for news of a done deal to bring the brilliant Frenchman back to the club. And while the move is rumoured to have been held up by the arguably extortionate demands of Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, Real Madrid were thought by some to have waded in to the deal.
Because, while remaining somewhat coy about a move, many Manchester United fans will have been concerned by the quotes of Zinedine Zidane, who said earlier:
“Until August 31 anything can happen. He is not yet a Madrid player. We cannot talk about what will happen.
Everyone is interested in Pogba. He is a great player and when you’re with Madrid you always want the best. Now you have to respect some things, he is a Juve player, today I cannot say anything.”
Manchester United are perhaps, for once, able to outbid a Real Madrid that may have to sell before they can stump up the requisite £130m or so to do the deal.
The player himself has been regularly rumoured to prefer a move to Spain.
This means that, even at these ridiculous prices, Manchester United may find themselves bent over a barrel by Juventus’ demands.
But it appears that United are finally about to get their man.
Having missed the boat on virtually every A-lister that he has gone for (Angel Di Maria aside) Ed Woodward will be desperate to get this one over the line and may sanction the deal, whatever the cost.
But who else is potentially available and gettable, should the French midfielder move to La Liga? We have heard reports about Blaise Matuidi and Nemanja Matic coming in instead.
But it’s difficult not to be underwhelmed by either. They are solid midfielders but simply don’t have the buccaneering magic of Pogba going forward – TFF likens him to a young Yaya Toure.
United fans will hope that the latest reports mean they won’t have to look at alternatives.