Paul Pogba tells Man Utd he wants Juventus move to play with Cristiano Ronaldo - EXCLUSIVE
Posted Sunday, September 02, 2018 by Express.co.uk
Paul Pogba has told United he wants to quit Old Trafford and return to Juventus in January (Image: GETTY)
PAUL POGBA has told Manchester United that he wants to quit Old Trafford and return to Juventus in January.
The Sunday Express has learned that Pogba has given the club notice that he is determined to leave when the next transfer window opens, in order to allow them a few months to find a replacement.
Pogba, 25, returned to United two years ago from the Italian giants for a then-world-record £89.3million transfer fee – but has struggled to recapture his most outstanding form.
His relationship with United boss Jose Mourinho is said to have broken down – possibly to the point of no return – leaving him little option but to seek a move away.
He has been a target for Barcelona, who were expected to return next summer with another offer – because the Spanish club were hoping that United lowered their demands.
Pogba has made it clear that he wants to return to Turin and play in the same team as Cristiano Ronaldo, who moved to Juventus from Real Madrid in the summer.
United have lost two of their opening three games this season – and a long drawn-out transfer saga will be the last thing they will want as they bid to kick-start their season.
Pogba hinted he was unhappy with life under Mourinho after the opening weekend win over Leicester at Old Trafford.
"If you're not happy, you cannot give your best,” Pogba said.
“There are things I cannot say otherwise I will get fined."
In return, Mourinho moved to allay United fans’ fears that his relationship with Pogba was strained.
“I cannot demand more from him, I cannot ask more from him, he came here on a Monday, trained three days, I asked for his support for his contribution in an important match for us when the team had difficulties,” Mourinho said.
"He did it better and for more time than we could expect, when he says he did it for the fans and for the team is exactly what I want, is exactly what I demand from my players.
“He’s working well, playing well, he does for the fans, he does for the team and that’s what I want, to play for the team and I couldn’t be happier than what I am.”
Mourinho’s comments have done nothing to quell the speculation surrounding Pogba’s future though and he is now set on a return to Juventus, where he won eight trophies.
United could hope to bring in more than £100m if they were to sell Pogba, with his marketability as attractive as his talent.
But they would likely need to spend around the same in order to replace the midfielder, who won the World Cup with France in July.
Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has been touted as a potential successor to Pogba in the engine room of Mourinho’s team.
However, Stadio Olimpico chief Claudio Lotito is more than happy to dig his heels in to keep hold of the Serbian.
Juventus, Real, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Chelsea have all been credited with interest in Milinkovic-Savic as well.
And United would need to prove they are the best club for him to start the next stage of his career at to fend off their competition.
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