Reports: Barcelona decide not to pursue target Pogba after Manchester United take a firm stance over him

What's the rumour?

According to Spanish publication Sport, Barcelona have decided to end their pursuit of Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba. Despite Barcelona not submitting an official bid for him, reports claim that Manchester United had informed them that Paul Pogba was not for sale.

In spite of reports in this week heavily indicating that Pogba's departure was almost certain, the latest rumours have indeed given the United supporters some hope about the future of their key player at Old Trafford.

In case you didn't know...

Pogba was heavily linked with a transfer to the Nou Camp or a return to his former club Juventus in this summer transfer window due to his uneasy relationship with United manager Jose Mourinho.

However, it looks like Manchester United have indeed managed to tie down the player and ward off any interest from big money spenders such as Barcelona.

The heart of the matter

Paul Pogba, being the most expensive player in Manchester United's history didn't have a particularly excellent season at boyhood club Manchester United after his transfer from Juventus. It is also a well-known fact that he and Jose Mourinho weren't seeing each other eye to eye at the end of last season.

Despite Mourinho's assurances that all was well between them, it is quite evident that Pogba after a successful World Cup with France fancied a move to Nou Camp and relished at the prospect of playing with his former teammate and latest transfer signing of Barcelona Arturo Vidal.

It is also reported from Spain that one more additional reason as to why Manchester United couldn't sell Pogba to Barcelona was that it is impossible for them to find a replacement for Poba before the Premier League transfer ends on 9th August.

Rumour Probability:5/10

With the Premier transfer window ending on the 9th of August, it is highly unlikely that Manchester United will take the chance of selling Pogba now. They will have no time to find a suitable replacement and hence it would be a surprise if anything dramatic happens on this front.

What's next?

These reports clearly suggest that Paul Pogba is certain to remain a Manchester United player for now. As we know from the past, anything is possible until the last minute.