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Paul Pogba has reportedly told Manchester United that he is keen on joining La Liga giants Real Madrid in the summer, according to the Daily Star.
As things stand, the former Juventus star has entered the final six months of his United contract and has shown no intentions of penning a new deal. The 28-year-old midfielder is currently in a position to sign a pre-contract with any foreign club. The Frenchman will be able to leave the Red Devils on a free transfer in the summer of 2022.
A host of elite European clubs have shown interest in signing the Frenchman from United. These include Juventus, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. However, the midfielder has reportedly decided that his next destination will be the Santiago Bernabeu.
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The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner re-joined the Red Devils in the summer of 2016 for a then world-record fee of €105 million. He has made 212 appearances for the club since then, scoring 38 goals and giving 49 assists.
According to the aforementioned source, the midfielder had discussions with several members of Manchester United's top management. The 28-year-old midfielder has already informed them of his decision to move to Real Madrid in the summer.
The World Cup-winning midfielder has currently returned to first-team training after recovering from a thigh injury he picked up back in November. Interim manager Ralf Rangnick has revealed that he could continue to pick Pogba even if he plays just to seal a lucrative deal elsewhere. Rangnick said:
"Why shouldn't Paul Pogba play now after two and half months of injury? He's fully fit again now and he also wants to show up, he wants to show the fans of Manchester United, the board, the whole world what kind of player he can be. And even if it's only to show enough for a new contract elsewhere, he will be highly motivated to do that, so why should I then not play him?"
Real Madrid, meanwhile, are in dire need of a new central midfielder. Their current midfield trio of Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are not getting any younger. Los Blancos have already signed one adequate replacement in Eduardo Camavinga last summer.
How has Paul Pogba performed for Manchester United this season?
Paul Pogba made an incredible start to the 2021-22 season for the Red Devils. The 28-year-old midfielder registered four assists on the opening day of the Premier League season against Leeds United. The Old Trafford outfit secured a 5-1 win over Marcelo Bielsa's side on that occasion.
He continued his good form against Newcastle United, giving another couple of assists in the match where Cristiano Ronaldo made his second debut for the club.
Before his long-term injury, the midfield general made 13 appearances for Manchester United and provided seven assists in total. The central midfielder is yet to score a goal this season. It remains to be seen if he will be part of the squad to play West Ham United on Saturday, January 22.
