Manchester United transfer news: Paul Pogba wants summer move to Real Madrid… but Red Devils must lower £160m asking price
The World Cup winner has his heart set on playing under his idol Zinedine Zidane at the Bernabeu
Paul Pogba is ready to push for a dream summer transfer to Real Madrid – but Manchester United must dramatically drop their £160m valuation of the World Cup winner if a move is to go through.
claim that the midfielder has set his heart on a move to Real - only 10 months after telling United he wanted to quit for Barcelona - with that desire strengthened by the club’s failure to qualify for the Champions League.
Pogba will miss out on a reported £1.875m Champions League qualification bonus, although it is understood that would be partly offset by a rise in his basic salary.
United have insisted publicly that Pogba will not be sold but, aware that their record £89m signing is unsettled, they must decide if it is worth keeping an unhappy player against his will.
Ed Woodward, United’s executive vice-chairman, refused to sell Pogba last August when the midfielder expressed a desire to leave for Barcelona.
Pogba ended up staying at United, but ending up clashing with Jose Mourinho as a bitter public row played out before the latter was eventually axed before Christmas.
Mino Raiola, Pogba’s agent, has already held talks with Real in the hope of securing a move for his mega-money client.
Raiola will reportedly tell Woodward that the Spanish giants are prepared to offer about £100m, a slight increase on the fee United paid Juventus in 2016.
United, though, want close to £160m for the 26-year-old midfielder.
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Pogba has two years to run on his contract - but United have an option to extend that by another 12 months to June 2022.
Juventus and Paris Saint Germain have been monitoring Pogba, but he was his heart set out playing for idol and compatriot, Zinedine Zidane.
Woodward is reluctant to sell Pogba, who holds huge commercial value, but manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes keeping the midfielder would cause more harm than good to his already beleaguered dressing room.