SOCCER
Pogba tells Raiola he wants Juventus move over Real Madrid
According to reports in Italy, Paul Pogba has told his agent Mino Raiola that he wants to make the switch from Manchester United to Juve, as talks between the Italian club and the player's representatives intensify.
"Green light for Pogba's return to Juventus”. So reads the Gazzetta dello Sport headline in the Italian daily’s clearest indication yet that Paul Pogba is set to return to Juventus after his €100 million departure for Manchester United in 2016.
There has been continuous talk of a potential reunion between Juve and the French midfielder, with both parties having made winks at the other. But this time Gazzetta has gone one step further by reporting that contact between Pogba and the Italian club is intensifying.
And this news comes at a key moment, with January just around the corner and given his shaky situation at United, where he has struggled for prominence under coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of late.
He appeared to have one foot out of Old Trafford, with his agent Mino Raiola repeatedly talking about a move away from the club. But Solskjaer continued to back Pogba and with his contract expiring in June 2022, the Red Devils were willing to pay big for him to renew. However, talks have so far not come to fruition.
Pogba wants Juve move
According to Gazetta, Pogba has recently met with Raiola to make his position clear: he wants to return to Juventus. If this is the case, that will pose a problem for both United, who do not want to lose him at zero cost, and Real Madrid, who have long had the Frenchman high on their agenda.
The news in Italy could serve as a major setback for Madrid’s aspirations, although Pogba’s final decision will depend on several factors, including the financial one. With Juve’s financial situation, matching the €14 million plus bonuses that United have offered Pogba could prove difficult, while it is a figure that Madrid could reach.
Although the Italian team has a couple of factors in its favor: namely, Italian tax policy and Aaron Ramsey. With respect to the former, in Italy player’s pay less tax, hence Pogba’s €14 million net salary would not be €28 million gross, as in the case of England or Spain, but €21 million, making the financial burden less heavy for Juve.
Secondly, with Juve looking to offload Aaron Ramsey in January, they could save the Welshman’s €8 million per season salary, money that could be used to finance Pogba’s wages. This is certainly not the final episode, but it does seem that the eternal Pogba soap opera is approaching its season finale.