If an interested club makes the right offer, Manchester United will sit down for the possible sale of Paul Pogba this summer. Specifically, the Red Devils will ask for no less than £70 million, a discounted price from the amount paid when the Frenchman made the jump from Juventus in 2016.
The cash damage incurred by United to bring Pogba back to Old Trafford was at £89 million, and the investment made then seemed to make sense. The midfielder made his mark in Italy and he was part of the French squad that captured the World Cup crown two years later.
Also, Pogba delivered to expectation in his first season with United. The club won the EFL Cup and the Europa League with the 27-year-old star figuring prominently during the campaign. Then he faltered considerably.
The Express said Pogba's arrival was hailed as a game-changer for the team under Jose Mourinho. He was touted as a poster boy for the successful team manager, who ended up getting the boot in December 2018.
The Portuguese were sacked and it looked like that now, United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is ready to hear offers on the injury-plagued Pogba. Last summer, the World Cup winner ignited negotiations that would have brought him to Real Madrid.
The transfer talks continued well into the winter break as speculations fired up on Pogba's possible return to Juventus in January.
None of the deal materialized but a summer exit could finally happen for the polarizing United star. Originally, the United board would like to profit on the sale of Pogba but the club is aware that with the coronavirus pandemic still out of control, the transfer market environment is not conducive to such goal.
If Woodward will find a transfer partner in the summer, the report suggested that the executive will sign a deal on Pogba even with a potential loss of around £20 million.
As mentioned, the top clubs likely to negotiate with Woodward are Real and Juventus but according to ESPN, another Italian side could join the race. Citing local news stories, the report said Inter Milan would make a bid on the midfielder.
"Inter manager Antonio Conte says he believes that acquiring the services of the Frenchman is a real possibility," said ESPN.
It was noted that Pogba heading to Inter would not be difficult for him as he and Conte worked before at Juventus.
Reportedly, Conte also acknowledged that big money would be required to fund the mission of signing Pogba but the Inter boss has indicated that the sale of Mauro Icardi will bring the money needed for the deal to push through.
