Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho “has accelerated the club’s attempts to sign Paul Pogba”



Posted Monday, June 13, 2016 by squawka.com

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho “has accelerated the club’s attempts to sign Paul Pogba”

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has accelerated the club's interest in re-signing Paul Pogba from Juventus this summer as he looks re-mould the team into Premier League title contenders.

United hired Mourinho, who was dismissed by Chelsea in December after the Blues lost nine of their opening 16 league games, at the end of May. The Portuguese manager has already made his first signing, with 22-year-old centre-back Eric Bailly having arrived from Villarreal for £31 million.

Squawka's chief reporter Greg Stobart revealed on Facebook Live this morning that Mourinho is now hoping to land France international Pogba, 23, and that the Red Devils are prepared to pay £80m or more in order to sign him.

However, United could face competition from Mourinho's former employers Real Madrid with reports in France suggesting that Zinedine Zidane is keen to lure him to Spain.

Furthermore, United's pursuit of Pogba could be hindered due to the fact that there remains bad blood between both parties stretching back to his acrimonious departure to Juventus in 2012.

"I certainly think [Jose] Mourinho coming to United has accelerated any interest from the club in Pogba," said Squawka's chief reporter.

"There is some bad blood between the two camps over the way Pogba left the club in 2012. Juventus ended up paying £400,000 for him and now you're looking at £80m-plus.

"I know he wanted to go to Manchester City and I know they have now pulled out of the deal. They're not going to pay that sort of money and they've signed Ilkay Gundogan, which leaves United with a gap to go for him, but I think Real Madrid might be in for him, too.

"In France, Zinedine Zidane has been talking up Paul Pogba in the press and if Real Madrid want him you would imagine they'd go for him pretty hard."

After struggling to break into the first-team picture at United as a teenager, Pogba decided to leave for Turin at the end of his contract and United only received around £400,000 in compensation for the deal.

Pogba had been tipped to join the Pep Guardiola Manchester City revolution due to his admiration for the Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager, but the Citizens have now pulled out of the deal due to his price tag. Their signing of Ilkay Gundogan has also negated the need to spend big to land the Frenchman.

The talented playmaker started in France's opening Euro 2016 clash against Romania on Friday and despite impressing in patches, completing 83% of his passes and having two shots on goal, he was subbed off after 77 minutes.



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