Manchester United have reportedly slapped a whopping £140 million price tag on Real Madrid target Paul Pogba.
Manchester United will demand a fee in the range of £140 million if they are to allow club record signing Paul Pogba to leave in the summer, as per reports from the Daily Mail. The Frenchman is a target for reigning European champions Real Madrid.
Manchester United signed Pogba from Juventus in the summer of 2016, for a then world record fee of £89 million, after the midfielder had left the club back in 2012 on a free transfer. Since his return though, the 25-year old hasn’t been able to meet the lofty expectations that came along with the price tag.
After a slow start in his return season last time out, the United academy graduate showed signs of hitting top gear in the ongoing campaign, but his form has been on a decline since the turn of the year. In 31 appearances across all competitions, Pogba has mustered up returns of 5 goals and 11 assists.
But his inconsistency and general attitude is something that has not sat down well with manager Jose Mourinho and the pair are understood to be at loggerheads ever since Manchester United’s defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur in Wembley.
The relationship is understood to have soured further following the Manchester derby a fortnight ago, when Mourinho reportedly was very critical of Pogba’s display in the first period at the Etihad Stadium.
The growing friction between the player and the manager has been palpable in recent times and all these developments have made Pogba consider his long-term future at the club.
Only last week reports emerged that Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, had been in contact with various top clubs across Europe, including the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and neighbours Manchester City, offering them an opportunity to sign his client.
Real Madrid have had a long-standing interest in the 50-time capped French international. They had made an attempt to sign him back in 2016, but the France international decided to return to Old Trafford instead. However, Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane remains a huge admirer of the 25-year old and remains keen on taking him to the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, the Manchester United hierarchy are hopeful that the two parties will be able to bury the hatchet and move on from all the negativity.
The 20-time English champions are extremely reluctant on losing the Frenchman at the end of the season, having worked so hard to bring him back only a couple of seasons ago. But, if the situation between Pogba and Mourinho becomes untenable, the club will be open to offloading him for £140 million.
