The French Midfielder once looked bound for Catalonia and the glittering appeal of working alongside Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar and co. With Juventus rejecting FC Barcelonaa s 80 Million Euro bid and the Treble Winners subsequent admission that they will not sign Pogba this year, the race for the young Frenchmana s signature heats up considerably once again.
Pace, Power, Technique, Stamina, etc. Paul Pogba emphatically checked all those boxes and more as he continued his rampaging form for Juventus in 2014-2015. Claiming the Serie A and Coppa Italia, the midfieldera s trophy haul was only stopped by an all-conquering Barcelona in the Champions League Final. It was common knowledge that he would be the star player that many elite clubs would be ecstatic to add to their squad, yet with Barcelonaa s withdrawal, his destination remains more of an intriguing curiosity than ever. The speculation surrounding his transfer has made this the most high-profile transfer saga since Neymara s move from Santos in 2013 to Barcelona. With Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi still undoubtedly the top dogs of World Football, Pogba is looked upon by many as the Prince-in-waiting, with all the qualities required to be the Worlda s Best Footballer.
We explore the various mooted destinations and what Pogba can expect from each one.
Manchester City
With Barcelonaa s admission that they cannot sign Pogba this year, Manchester City has pulled into pole position to secure his signature.
The stacks of chips are heavily in their favour. With Financial
The Premier League would offer the burgeoning talent to develop his skills and technique. Despite the acumen and talent available in the Italian league, it is still widely acknowledged that the English game is the more physical, demanding and quicker competition of the two. It offers a markedly, different test than to the one he has already challenged and conquered in Italy. The exposure to a fresh, unfamiliar league with different requirements just might be what Pogba needs to hone his already ferocious talents.
Possessing a squad that is due to see heavy investment
It would be a happier reunion with the City, than when he was there last in 2012, when Manchester United told him that he would not be afforded the luxury of wanting more first team opportunities. In the years since, the unutilised substitute has gone on to become a vital, first-team player at a team that finished as the Champions League runner up winners. This will be an opportunity to come back to Manchester, spectacularly evaporating the cloud of his departure. And therein lies the fantastic, mesmerizing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to really rile Sire Alex Ferguson. Discarded by the legendary and arguably, Greatest British Manager of all time, he could be the fulcrum of a City side that can topple United as Manchestera s Best Club. For all their recent successes, the lack of consistency and European Glory has denied City the right to be the preeminent club in Manchester, for their rivals, with their history and domination of English Football, are acknowledged as the standard of aspiration. City can go on to utterly outpace United in the coming decade, with Pogba as the lead architect of a new Manchester and English dynasty. Sullying the legacy of the man who once told you that you werena t good enough would be the sweetest vengeance of all.
Not all is well at the Etihad hower. Manchester Citya s underwhelming performances in the Champions League would be a particular concern to Pogba. While they could take a huge step towards rectifying that unwanted record with his signature, it remains to be seen if he would rather join a nascent project with no history in the biggest Club Competition.
The managerial merry-go-round at the Etihad will also trouble the youngster, with 4 managers in six years since Al-Mansour took over. Manuel Pellegrini is on borrowed time after the dismal showing of last year and is widely rumoured to merely be keeping the seat warm for Pep Guardiola. While the Spaniarda s managerial talents are undoubted, the lack of proven stability at City in the past, does not bode well for the manager and squad if results go against them.
Paris-Saint-Germain
Where does a Prince play? At the Parc-des-Princes, of course.
Despite having their 80 Million Euro offer accepted in April 2015, the subsequent delay in getting Paul Pogba to agree to terms had ruled Paris Saint Germain out of the running to sign the talented youngster. Yet now with Barcelonaa s statement that they will not sign Pogba, Les Parisienes remain strongly in the hunt for Paul Pogba. With Financial
There will be a few concerns in Pogbaa s mind over this particular move. For all the hype of Zlatan Ibrahimovich and the project at PSG, the French Ligue 1 is not at the same level as the Italian, Spanish or English Leagues. PSGa s primary focus is on the Champions league, where in April, they were decimated 5-1 by Barcelona, maliciously emphasizing that there was some a significant way to go before they catch up with Europea s elite. Capturing the domestic treble does nothing to add to the allure of Ligue 1. Being a Champions League losing finalist, Pogba will want to complete unfinished business.
PSG will, however, boast a significant number of advantages unavailable to Manchester City, Chelsea or Real Madrid. Being Paris-born and raised, Pogba will have an emotional affinity with PSG that cuts beyond the lure of his other suitors. With French midfield partner, Blaise Maitudi in the Parisian squad, Pogba can reincarnate his international partnership into a weekly one for his club. Maitudi has already done his part to welcome Pogba into the fold by stating in May that a Everyone would be happy to welcome a player like Paul Pogbaa during a courtship by PSGa s players and coaches that was not un-Madrid-like in its intensity.
Pogba will also have the added challenge and status of replacing PSGa s ageing talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovich, with whom he shares his agent, Mina Raiola. At 22, Pogba could easily be the face of PSG for the next decade, in the process further endearing himself to his fellow Parisians and countrymen. Since the departure of Thierry Henry, France has been crying out for a leader in the mould of Zidane to lead the National Team to glory after several under-achieving years. The dismal and pessimistic expectations of the French to International tournaments could be dramatically more ambitious with the emergence of a new Messiah. This gaping void on the pitch and in French hearts could be satisfied with Pogba playing in the French league, enriching it and in turn, adding to the allure of football in France.With the imminent approach of a Euro on French soil, the stage could be perfectly set for Euro 2016 to be Paul Pogbaa s tournament.
He will be a Prince no longer, but a King.
Real Madrid
Once a favourite, now a dark horse in the race for Pogbaa s signature, Madrid have often been accustomed to dealing with the transfer of the summer. Everyone, from Perez to Ancelloti to Zidane waxed lyrical about the young Frenchman as the season concluded. All those sound bytes however, faded into oblivion once it became known Pogbaa s preferred location was Catalonia. The Madrid hierarchy could not afford to look foolish if Europea s young star lined up besides Messi and co. Now that Barcelona have ruled themselves out of the race for Pogba, Madrid could be back in to rub salt into their wounds. After witnessing Barcelona claim their second treble in six years, Madrid will be smarting to re-establish themselves as the premier Club in Spain and there could be no better way than snaring the man Barcelona want.
Despite the Managerial pessimism and relative lack of appeal of working with Benitez, Real Madrid still hold enough allure to attract the best talent. The prospect of working alongside Ronaldo, Bale, Rodriguez and World Cup Winner Kroos would tempt any footballer and Real Madrida s global allure as both Europea s most decorated club and fan base would be a fitting destination to the man tipped to be both the Worlda s Most Expensive Transfer and future great.
Chelsea FC
A rank outsider in the Transfer Saga on the summer, Chelsea would be preferable for one reason alone. And that reason goes by the moniker of a The Special Onea . While Manchester City, PSG and Real Madrid would be able to probably offer Pogba more in wages and importance (No one is bigger than Mourinho after all), Chelsea have a real master from whom Pogba can imbibe great knowledge and ruthless, consistent, efficiency a an aspect of his game that hasna t yet been called into question. He may not wish to be crafted by an egotistical genius, however. The memories of the dictatorial nature of such men will be fresh in his memory from his last time in England.
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Juventus
Juventus would be delighted to hang on to their star midfielder for one more season. The departure of Andrea Pirlo has already left one chasm in the Bianconeri midfield and they would not want to compound those problems with another. A brilliant season culminating with the Champions League final loss could be the start of a new page for Juventus, leading them on to bigger and better things, with the priority of a similar or better finish in the Champions League. To aid to their quest to restore Italian Football to ita s glory days, Juve has already recruited Sami Khaedira, Dybala and Mandzukic, showing their ambition to not rest on their laurels.
Although Pogba could stay at Juventus for their sake, it will in all probability mean a move to the Camp Nou a year on. The Catalans were the Pogbaa s preferred suitors before they had their 80 Million Euro bid rejected and subsequently declared that they would not sign him this year. They, however, did not say anything about next year.