Barcelona are reportedly closing in on securing the services of Paul Pogba, but Xavi is not keen on having the Manchester United midfielder in his squad.
According to a report by Catalan outlet El Nacional, Paul Pogba has taken a step closer to joining Barcelona on a Bosman move in next summer’s transfer window. However, Xavi does not want the Manchester United midfielder in his squad, even as president Joan Laporta looks to engineer a deal.
Pogba is currently in his second spell with Manchester United, having returned to the club from Juventus in August 2016 in a then-world record outlay. However, five years since his glorious return, the 28-year-old has not justified the enormous expenditure on him, blowing hot and cold at an alarming rate.
The same holds for the ongoing season, as after a brilliant start to the campaign, he has gone completely off the boil, although he still has a fantastic tally of seven goals in 13 appearances. However, Manchester United are set to lose Pogba as a free agent next summer, with developments on the contract renewal front completely stalled.
There were brief rumours that Pogba was willing to extend his contract with Manchester United. However, the Red Devils’ recent struggles have ended such suggestions, with the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner now keen on a departure. And he has no shortage of suitors, with several clubs across Europe, including Barcelona, have shown an interest in him.
The interest from Barcelona makes sense, considering they chose not to fill the spots left vacant by the departures of Ilaix Moriba and Miralem Pjanic. While Gavi and Nico Gonzalez have largely been impressive, much like Pedri last season, an experienced head could be the need of the hour for the Blaugrana.
The Manchester United contract rebel would be able to join Barcelona on a Bosman move, which further makes him an appealing target for Joan Laporta, who has been looking to engineer free transfer deals for the most part because of the club’s financial woes. And Laporta’s strong relations with his agent Mino Raiola have brought him closer to securing his services.
However, Xavi is not keen on having Pogba in his squad. The Barcelona manager believes he has plenty of options at his disposal in addition to the promising young midfielders like Aleix Garrido and Txus Alba, who are waiting in the wings. So, it remains to be seen if Barcelona will end their interest in Pogba due to Xavi’s stance and what that means for the Manchester United midfielder.
