Raiola, Woodward talking again as Man Utd near Pogba resolution

Manchester United are seeking to find a solution over the future of Paul Pogba after executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and the midfielder’s agent ended their feud, claims a report.

The 27-year-old midfielder, strongly linked with the likes of Juventus and Real Madrid this summer, is out of contract in 2021, though United hold an option to extend that by 12 months and this week it was claimed they will trigger that as they have done with Nemanja Matic.

However, it’s claimed United were looking to trigger Pogba’s extension in order to protect their interest in the player and ensure they can claim the maximum transfer fee they can for the midfielder.

Furthermore, it was claimed that United are, in fact, actively seeking a buyer for Pogba and are said to have informed interested parties of their new asking price for him.

Unlike last summer when the player admitted he was seeking a new challenge – an admission that forced United to stick a huge asking price on his head – the club are now believed to looking at bringing in a fee of just £55million for the player.

And it seems the chances of the player will leaving – and for how much – will depend very much on the key talks between both Woodward and Raiola.

As per the Daily Mirror, Raiola and Woodward ‘are talking again’ after ‘Pogba’s aggressive Italian-born advisor made repeated attacks on United at the turn of the year’.

The report adds that ‘a peace-pact has been struck’ with ‘both parties try to find a way forward over his future’.

Raiola spoke about Pogba’s future as recently as last week but the two men are now talking again about Pogba’s future thanks to a ‘new line of communication’.

Pogba’s representative ‘wants them to agree to sell Pogba to Real Madrid’ while Man Utd ‘will do what is in the best interests of the team and the club’.

Norwegian boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insisted Pogba was staying following the Red Devils’ emphatic 5-0 victory against Austrian side LASK last week.

“Paul’s our player,” Solskjaer is quoted as saying following the Europa League win.

“He has two years left on his contract, a year plus the option of another. You can expect Paul to be here [next season], yeah.”

However, it’s believed United are willing to let the player move on in the best interests of all parties with Pogba having only made eight appearances for the club this season and having not featured since Boxing Day.

Raiola hints at Pogba exit

Speaking last month, Raiola strongly hinted that the player could be seeking to move on, despite insisting he had remained professional throughout a difficult season.

“He never lost his smile, but clearly a great player doesn’t go to Manchester United only to not challenge for the Champions League or the Premier League title,” Raiola told Tuttosport.

“It would be bull for me not to admit Paul wants to stay at the highest level. Pogba will first and foremost try to give his best and then we’ll see at the end of the season if he ought to remain or not.

“I talk to Pavel Nedved and Juventus about many things, including about Pogba and other players, as is only right for a big club.

“You need to get information, see what’s happening, put down a few hypotheses, dream a little… Along with Juventus, there are other clubs in for Paul, but right now he is with Manchester United.

“What I can say is that, just like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul considers Italy to be his second home and he wouldn’t mind returning to Juventus.

“There’s nothing impossible in the transfer market, that has already been proved by Juve, PSG, Real Madrid. The achievement of impossible things is part of this business.”

Pogba, who often courts controversy, drew more criticism this week after wearing a Juventus shirt in support of his France teammate Blaise Matuidi.

And pundit John Barnes insisted after the stunt that the club would be better to not waste their time trying to convince him to stay.