Manchester United are reportedly looking to use Paul Pogba as makeweight to swoop Matthijs de Ligt away from Juventus this summer.
As stated by Daily Star, Manchester United want to bring Dutch centre back Matthijs de Ligt to the club, and are going to use Paul Pogba as bait in a player plus cash deal.
After completing an enormous transfer last season from Ajax, De Ligt has been unable to find his feet in Juventus. He is more often than not making schoolboy errors and is the subject to criticism from the Bianconeri faithfuls, mustering up only 15 league starts this season.
The 20 year old was replaced in the starting eleven by Merih Demiral. To the professional fortune of de Ligt, the Turk was ruled out with a long term injury.
Manchester United were one of the many clubs interested in the Dutchman before he decided to move to Serie A, but his shaky performances mean he could be on the move as soon as this June. The key to that is Paul Pogba.
Pogba’s contract at Old Trafford ends in no more than 15 months, and an extension is not likely. To prevent the superstar from moving for free, United want to add him in the deal which helps them secure the services of de Ligt.
Mino Raiola has infamously and constantly stirred up controversy about how his client – Pogba – is unhappy in England, and could deserve better.
This could be his chance to see off the World Cup winner to a place where he’s pretty much guaranteed trophies, and send his other client – De Ligt – the other way to a place he’ll develop better.
Pogba’s departure from the Premier League is inevitable, with Juventus and Real Madrid the frontrunners to get his signature. Getting a player and cash both is probably the way for United to regain the £89 million they spent on the Frenchman.
It remains undecided as to how things will move from here in the football world as all leagues have been put on an indefinite hold due to the Coronavirus pandemic. There is a very real possibility that Ed Woodward will have to wait till 2021 to strike a deal with Juventus.