Deep Man City pockets key to gazumping United in Pogba race

Despite some silverware still being up for grabs silly season is in full swing and one saga set to simmer for weeks, if not months to come, is the potential transfer of Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba.

The French sensation is yet to finish his season for the Turin giants, who will attempt to bring down Barcelona in the Champions League final, but hints he’s ready to quit regardless of the result have got clubs across Europe in fervour.

Chief among the Premier League protagonists lining up his services are the two Manchester clubs.

United, of course, let 22-year-old Pogba leave the fold as a teenager in 2012 and, realising the error of their ways, would love to welcome the French international back to Old Trafford.

However, given his meteoric rise to stardom which has seen him scoop three Serie A titles and a Coppa Italia already, plus star in a World Cup for France, the transfer fee he would now demand is mooted to be around £45m.

This is where The Sun newspaper suggest that Louis van Gaal and co will be priced out of the market, whereas Sheikh Mansour-owned City, would have no such troubles coughing up the cash and crucially the wages.

Earlier in May, the Manchester Evening News reported that the Citizens were prepared to make the midfielder the highest paid Premier League footballer of all time, on eye-watering wages of £250,000 per week.

In Ladbrokes’ transfer specials market, City are now neck and neck with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain at 4/1 to be Pogba’s next destination before the close of this transfer window.

Real Madrid are next at 6/1, Chelsea at 8s, while a return to Old Trafford seems unlikely at 20/1.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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