Manchester United, who are on the brink of signing former youth player Paul Pogba from Juventus for a world record fee, have been urged by iconic Red Devils’ defender Rio Ferdinand to pay ‘whatever it costs’ to sign the Frenchman.
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The potential transfer of 23-year-old French midfielder Paul Pogba has divided opinion among fans and pundits. Some have claimed the transfer fee is too excessive, including legendary Man United midfielder Paul Scholes. However, his former teammate Rio Ferdinand expressed a different opinion, saying that the club must sign Pogba regardless of the cost.
“It wasn’t long ago that people said United were not spending enough, so I say go with it and get Pogba in whatever it costs,” the former England and Man United defender told ESPN.
“The money Man United bring in from a variety of sources means they can justify this kind of transfer, so it is not a crazy deal from their perspective.
“You are investing in massive potential here. This player could be the best midfielder in world football for the next 10 years and if he was to spend those years at United, then it would be a good investment to buy him now.”
Pogba’s future is still up in the air, despite the Italian and English media reporting that a world record deal is set to be announced shortly. A couple of weeks ago, reports stated that United had offered Serie A champions Juventus £100 million for Pogba. However, there has still been no conclusive statement made by Juventus, United or Pogba, as media speculation around the transfer reaches a fever pitch.
The transfer would break the record fee paid by a club for a footballer, which is currently the €100 million that Real Madrid paid Tottenham Hotspur for Gareth Bale in 2013. The transfer of Pogba is expected to cost more than €120, which will make him the world’s most expensive footballer. The Frenchman is one of the most promising talents in the world right now and is widely seen as the heir to Messi and Ronaldo’s throne.
If, as is expected, he does return to Old Trafford, it will be interesting to see how he adapts to the Premier League and handles the pressure that his record price-tag will bring with it.
