Man United Midfielder Paul Pogba Set to Join Juventus on a Free Transfer

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is set to re-join Serie A side Juventus on a free transfer, as reported by Sky Sports. The Italian club have reached a verbal agreement with the Frenchman to bring him back to the Allianz Stadium. He will be signing a four-year contract.

Pogba had also received an offer from United’s rivals Manchester City but the player was only interested in a move away from England. German giants Bayern Munich were also said to be interested in the player’s services. However, a move to the Bundesliga champions would have been difficult, given Pogba’s lavish demands, especially with the German club’s rigid wage structure policy.

Paul Pogba, Manchester United, Juventus — Image obtained via Twitter/@paulpogba

Paulo Dybala and Giorgio Chiellini are both set to leave the club this summer. The Old Lady see Pogba as one of the best midfielders in world football and want to build their team around him. Turin is where the 29-year-old developed into a world-class player and went on to win four Serie A titles in four seasons. He has also won the World Cup with France in 2018.

As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Paul Pogba will be receiving the same salary as Dusan Vlahovic and Juventus will not have to pay a single penny in transfer fees as he has become a free agent after failed contract negotiations with Manchester United.

The Italian transfer expert reported that the Old Lady are chalking out the final details of the contract and the deal is almost done. He will sign the contract with the Serie A side in the beginning of July and will be receiving €8 million euros per season plus add ons.

Juventus are closing on final details for Paul Pogba deal. Contract almost agreed, €8m salary net per season plus add ons. It’s just matter of final details. ⚪️⚫️🇫🇷 #Juventus

Juventus expect Pogba to sign the contract for his return very soon. pic.twitter.com/j3PxSSAS1k

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 14, 2022

Pogba’s Sporadic Career At United

Since Paul Pogba transferred from Juventus, he has struggled to make the desired impact at Manchester United. His recent form has even created a sense of dissatisfaction among the fans in particular. Last summer, the Red Devils were reported to have offered him a new deal. But, it was apparently rejected and since then, the club has not been back with another. The Frenchman has been at the Old trafford for the past six years and has enjoyed both ups and downs with the club.

On his day, he is probably the best midfielder in the world with his technical prowess and physicality. However, he is failing to put in those world-class performances on a regular basis. He has only won the EFL Cup and the Europa League during his six-season tenure with United.

With the Red Devils, the 29-year-old has accumulated 39 goals and 51 assists in 233 appearances (stats via Transfermarkt). In comparison, he had 34 goals and 40 assists in just 4 seasons with Juventus, featuring only 177 times (stats via transfermarkt).

Most Iconic Moments In The United Shirt Include:

Paul Pogba’s 2nd stint in Manchester hasn’t quite been the superstar return United fans hoped for, but one of his highlights was scoring in the Europa League final win over Ajax in 2017. Pogba, alongside other new signings Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, ensured a brilliant season for Jose Mourinho by helping the former United manager win the EFL Cup and Europa League in 2016/17.

The French midfielder mentioned that his greatest game was the 2018 Manchester Derby at the Etihad Stadium where he scored twice for the Red Devils to lead them from 2-0 down to a remarkable 3-2 win. The midfielder was nostalgic about the win and said:

“I would say because it’s a memory of the game, the 3-2 versus Manchester City, because I scored two, We ended up winning, but if City won the game they were going to be champions against us. We avoided that, so I would say this one.”

Another moment was at the start of the recently concluded season during which he was moved to the wider areas to accommodate Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo in the central areas. In the first four Premier League games, he registered 7 assists which was a record. However, after a bright start to the season, Pogba tailed off. He lost his place in the starting XI, as Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood were back.

It is understandable to an extent that United wanted to retain Pogba’s services. The biggest signing in their history – it would be thoroughly embarrassing if a £100 million investment was allowed to leave for free, more so, when he has failed to perform consistently for even a single season. Over the last 6 seasons, Pogba has missed over 80 games due to injuries, while his performances, even when fit, have also often left a lot to be desired.

Verdict

Paul Pogba will finally be free from all the criticism and controversy he has faced in the last six years he has spent at United. He will be free to express himself on the pitch and get his world-class reputation back. Whereas the Red Devils won’t have to deal with the constant controversies surrounding the player. He was also amongst the best-paid players at the club and his exit will save United a lot of money in wages.

Nothing should be taken away from the abilities of the World Cup winner but he has failed to turn up on big occasions quite a few times. Nevertheless, the skill, ability and dominance he provides in the midfield could be tough to replace. Manchester United can look towards their youth players James Garner and Hannibal Mejbri to replace Pogba.

Even Donny van de Beek who was loaned to Everton in January is a viable option under Erik ten Hag. Donny peaked at his abilities under Ten Hag at Ajax and could replicate the same at Old Trafford. United could also in turn get a more dedicated player who suits the new manager’s style of play, like Frenkie De Jong.

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