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Manchester United star Paul Pogba has continued to make the headlines in recent weeks, with the Frenchman midfielder being linked with a move to La Liga giants Real Madrid. However, reports have emerged that the former Juventus star could have sealed a move to Barcelona before completing a world-record move to Manchester United in the summer of 2016.
Former FC Barcelona adviser Arieda Braida shed light on Barcelona's pursuit of the Frenchman and revealed that the Catalans even flew to Milan to meet the Juventus board.
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Speaking to Goal, Braida admitted that he recommended the player to Barcelona before he returned to Manchester United a year later.
"It's not a lie. It is true that Albert Soler and I went to Milan and met with the Juventus board"
"But despite the talks, there was no real intention to sign him. In fact, Pogba ended up staying that summer in Turin and did not go to another club. I said he was a great player. I was talking about it with Albert Soler, with whom I consider that he had a good personal relationship."
"But again, professionally we could not work together because I was not allowed."
"Barcelona had no intention of signing Pogba or Haaland," says Breida
Aside from Pogba, Breida also revealed that he recommended the likes of Erling Haaland, Nicolo Barella, Nicolo Zaniolo to Barcelona. However, the Catalan giants failed to sign only of those players, with Breida being fired from his post in 2019.
"They did not give me the responsibility, they put others in charge of this work," he said. "I was studying players and I wrote down some names like Haaland from Borussia Dortmund when he was still playing for Rosenborg. But at the club, they told me no, that he didn't have the Barca profile."
"From Italy, I also suggested other names, such as Barella, who is now at Inter, or Zaniolo, from Roma. But if you do not have the responsibility to execute this because it has been given to others, you cannot do anything. I was separated."
Barcelona have been slated for their transfer dealings over the years, with the club splashing big-money on players who have failed to live up to the hype.
After Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann seems to be heading in the same direction, as the Frenchman continues to struggle at the Camp Nou after sealing a move from Atletico Madrid in 2019.
