Man Utd agree £102m deal ‘in principle’ for Pogba – report

Paul Pogba: More transfer rumours on Friday

Manchester United have ‘agreed a world record £102million deal in principle’ with Juventus to sign Paul Pogba, according to reports in the Spanish press.

The 23-year-old has been heavily linked with a return to the Red Devils over the past month, with reports this week claiming they had met with the player’s agent, Mino Raiola, to discuss the move.

Now Spanish daily AS claims United have settled on a world-record £102million (€119.5million) deal in principle with Juventus to bring the player back to Old Trafford.

As a caveat to these reports, however, BBC Sport insist talk that United have agreed a deal with Juventus for Pogba is premature and suggest the possible transfer is “not even out of the starting blocks”.

Any transfer, however,  does look like it will step up next week once the player’s involvement in Euro 2016 is over, with the move very much coming down to Pogba’s willingness to return to his former club.

However, United’s hopes could be further complicated by reports on Saturday morning that Real Madrid are ready to match any offer United make for the midfielder.

United had hoped their world record offer for the player would blow away any competition from their fellow suitors and news from France on Friday that claimed ‘the player had set his heart on a return to Old Trafford’ seemed to suggest Pogba was theirs for the taking.

 

MORE: Stats show Pogba is not worth record £100m fee

 

However, reports in the Gazetta Dello Sport suggest Real coach Zinedine Zidane has asked his directors to match United’s offer, and give the player the chance to join the club which his father hinted last weekend was his first choice.

But Jose Mourinho will hope his good relationship with Raiola can help convince the player that a move to Old Trafford would best suit his career right now.

Mourinho’s has already brought in Eric Bailly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but a swoop for Pogba would really show the Premier League that Mourinho and United will be a force to be reckoned with this season.