Transfer News: Barcelona close in on Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba
According to El Nacional (h/t The Hard Tackle), Barcelona are closing in on securing the signature of Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba. Curiously enough, it is also believed that the new manager, Xavi is not eager to take the French international to Camp Nou.
The 28-year-old midfielder has been good in parts and pieces for the Red Devils since he returned to the club in 2016. While injuries have stunted his progress, the biggest factor for his struggles have proven to be the general lack of consistency.
The French international has already provided seven assists in 13 matches across all competitions so far. These statistics can be a bit misleading at times. After all, he notched up a majority of these assists at the beginning of the season when the Red Devils were in fine form.
His red card against Liverpool and the injury picked up while on duty with France typified, in short, his time at Old Trafford. The former Juventus ace’s current contract at the Theatre of Dreams expires next summer, meaning the club risks losing him on a free transfer.
While there were rumours that Pogba could get a contract renewal, the talks appear to have hit a wall. With little news coming out on the matter, it would be fair to assume his future lies elsewhere. Pogba’s form mirrors that of Man United at the moment. Both club and player have seen their performances nose dive in the last couple of months.
Money talks?
Even if Barcelona do manage to lure him to Camp Nou on a free transfer, his huge wages could cause a problem for the Catalans. They are going through a financial crisis and have amassed a debt of €1.35bn ($1.59bn) as of 21st March 2021.
The 2018 World Cup winner would most certainly have to take a pay cut to join the Blaugrana if such a transfer is to take place. Even though Pogba has had to deal with several injury issues, he is still in the prime of his career. He could help bring a level-headed approach to a Barcelona midfield packed with youngsters.
While Sergio Busquets brings a lot of experience, his glory days seem to be way behind him. Whether Pogba will be the man to fill that void remains to be seen.
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Pogba has at times, played an instrumental role at Old Trafford. However, his lack of consistency sometimes makes you wonder whether his price tag and wages at the club are justified. While his departure could be a big blow to Manchester United, it could also be a great opportunity to trim the wage bill and bring another young talented midfielder into the squad.
Any rumour of the 28-year-old midfielder leaving might be solely based on speculation. Still, it wouldn’t be audacious to say that Pogba could be looking for a change of scenery considering his second spell with the Red Devils.
