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What's the rumour?
According to a report from Diario Gol, the Spanish outlet claims that Lionel Messi is reportedly encouraging Barcelona to make a move for Manchester United and France superstar Paul Pogba this summer.
If the aforementioned is to be believed, Ernesto Valverde also wants Barca to sign the World Cup winner, who is valued at €150 million by Manchester United.
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Lately, reports have also emerged from Tuttosport, which assert that Barcelona's new technical director, Eric Abidal, secretly met with Pogba in Beverly Hills and also held talks regarding a move this summer.
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Juventus were also reportedly pursuing their erstwhile ace, who has endured a fractious relationship with Jose Mourinho, but having coughed up a monumental amount for Cristiano Ronaldo, they are unlikely to afford another superstar deal.
The heart of the matter
Pogba has recently returned from the World Cup in Russia, where he inspired his national side to their second Mundial title since 1998.
The French wunderkind took the football world by storm in 2016, when he secured a return to Manchester United for a then world-record fee of £89.3 million.
Nevertheless, since his arrival, he has failed to have a similar impact for the Red Devils, with the 25-year-old struggling to put in consistent displays for Jose Mourinho’s side. Consequently, he found himself in the firing line for the most part of his United career.
In the ongoing transfer market, the Frenchman is allegedly looking for a move away from Manchester United and Barcelona are keen on acquiring his signature.
Rumour probability/rating: 5/10
With the transfer window closing on August 9 this year, Manchester United are highly unlikely to let go of their star player without an able replacement, come what may.
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What's next?
Honestly, instead of wasting time on Pogba, Barcelona should turn their mind to other achievable targets to bolster their midfield for the upcoming season.
