Paul Pogba is reportedly set to join Juventus after running down his Manchester United contract for the second time in a decade.
The Frenchman notably left Manchester United back in the summer of 2012 to join the Bianconeri on a free transfer. He is now set to repeat the feat in the ongoing transfer window.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Pogba has reached an agreement with Juventus, with the deal set to be officially signed next month. Romano wrote on Twitter:
"Paul Pogba to Juventus, confirmed and here we go! Full agreement now completed on a free transfer. Deal to be signed at the beginning of July, it’s done and sealed. Pogba will be in Italy in two weeks. Juve sold him for €100m six years ago - now he’s back for free."
As with any major transfer update, this news has taken social media by storm, with several fans responding to the news. One fan wrote:
"This is the worst transfer ever. Not Lukaku. At least Chelsea can recoup some of the fee back for Lukaku in a year or two. Man Utd let Pogba go for free then bought him back for 100 mil and have let him go for free again."
Another added:
"Finally the virus is gone."
One fan had a simple four-word Tweet for the entire football community:
"Let's laugh at United."
Here are some of the other reactions:
Paul Pogba enjoyed four fruitful years in Italy, winning four Serie A titles, two Italian Cups and three Italian Super Cups. He made 177 appearances across all competitions for the Old Lady, recording 34 goals and 40 assists.
Pogba then returned to United in the summer of 2016 for a club-record fee of £93.2 million (as per The Guardian).
Paul Pogba's return to Manchester United hasn't benefitted either party
Many expected Paul Pogba to be the signing that took Manchester United back to their very best. The 29-year-old enjoyed a fairly successful first season back at Old Trafford as the Red Devils lifted the UEFA Europa League and the EFL Cup.
However, it has largely gone downhill for the club and Pogba since then. A public fallout with former manager Jose Mourinho made headlines while the Frenchman's numerous injury issues limited his playing time.
Overall, Pogba made 233 appearances for Manchester United during his six-season tenure at the club, averaging less than 40 matches per campaign. In that time, he contributed 39 goals and 51 assists. While those are decent numbers, the Frenchman simply failed to justify the gigantic transfer fee United paid for him.