Saiyed Karim
Paul Pogba joined Manchester United for the second time in 2016, leaving Juventus in a transfer valued at £89.3 million at the time (plus bonuses). The goal was clearly to further bend the house betting odds in the Red Devils’ favour – and it was clearly reached. The Frenchman playing in more than 120 league games with the team in the last five years. Now, in turn, his contract is coming to an end – the perfect occasion for him to move on to another club before becoming a free agent?
For a while, it seemed that Pogba might become Paris Saint Germain’s highest-profile signing this summer. The plans for the Frenchman to return to France may be off, in turn, as the Paris team signed Lionel Messi just a few days ago. Will he still have the chance to leave for PSG or is he going to extend his contract with Manchester United?
PSG has the means, but…
Last year was devastating for the world of football, with many teams coming under pressure because of the significant decrease in their revenues. Thus, we haven’t seen too many high-profile signings this summer – on the contrary, clubs seemed to be interested in young and talented players. The big exception was Messi, whose contract expired with Barcelona, and now signed a new one worth close to £30 million a year. Of course, PSG didn’t have to pay his buy-out clause that would’ve set them back a lot more.
Paris Saint Germain is, thanks to its owner’s considerably deep purse can spend big amounts in the transfer market. Still, the club may think twice to pay Pogba’s considerable transfer fee, rumoured to be around £65 million. This is probably one of the reasons why PSG didn’t make a formal offer for the player just yet.
Pogba, in and out?
About a month ago, Pogba announced that he would be open to staying at Old Trafford for another term – but not before “surveying the scene” first. At the same time, he was increasingly linked to PSG and other clubs, including the ill-fated Barcelona that reportedly considered offering a swap deal for the 28-year-old Frenchman. A few weeks ago, the press heard of a £43 million deal between the Red Devils and the Paris giant.
At the same time, Pogba reportedly rejected a £50 million offer from United but the negotiations didn’t stop there. At the same time, the club continued to draw up contingency plans for the case Pogba did decide to move on from the club. But these seem to be in vain, as just a few days ago, the player hinted that he may remain at Old Trafford. He tweeted “It’s time for the New Season!” accompanied with a picture of him in a Red Devils jersey.
Did the club finally reach an agreement with the player? Is his transfer to PSG off the table? Time will give us an answer.
