Three reasons why Paris Saint-Germain want to sign Man Utd’s Pogba
Robin Bairner
- 23 Jul 2021 11:54 BST
- 4 min read
Paul Pogba has been an enigma for Manchester United since returning to the club in 2016 from Juventus, but his stay at Old Trafford could soon be over, with Paris Saint-Germain aiming to complete a transfer.
Pogba returned as one of the best midfielders in the world but has failed to live up to that billing at Old Trafford.
READ MORE: What is Paul Pogba's real value?
Indeed, the World Cup winner has often struggled to get into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s starting XI, although the 2020/21 season was one in which he was hampered by injury and illness.
According to reports from The Mirror, Pogba has refused a new £50 million deal with Man Utd, though, paving the way for a summer transfer.
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His contract expires in 2022, meaning that there is some urgency for United either to get the midfielder to perform a U-turn in his thinking or simply to sell him to recoup some of the £89m they paid Juve for his services.
Juve have reportedly been keen to re-sign Pogba, but their crippled financial state means that looks a tall order. Similarly, a move to Real Madrid or Barcelona appears impossible, leaving PSG as the leading alternative.
Pogba to PSG
PSG, however, have an abundance of central midfield options. Indeed, it has widely been reported in France that if they are to sign Pogba, several of these players will need to be offloaded.
Among those who could depart are former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera, Idrissa Gueey, who was once a transfer target for them, Leandro Paredes, Danilo Pereira and Rafinha.
Assuming that PSG can create sufficient space in the squad for Pogba, why are they so eager to sign him?
There are three clear reasons.
Firstly, as reported by Marca, they are hopeful that if they are able to get Pogba top stay at the club, it will help them tie down Kylian Mbappe on a long-term deal. Courted by Real Madrid and out of contract next summer, Mbappe’s position is perilous but a deal for Pogba would be proof that PSG’s sporting project remains one that is ambitious.
Secondly, Pogba’s profile would help further strengthen the PSG brand, which is one geared towards young people and those with an active interest in social media. This was proven when they became the first football club to pass 10 million subscribers on TikTok.
Indeed, there are no players with a social profile as formidable as Pogba, who is a worldwide brand himself.
Finally, PSG have a desire to build a fanbase in France by signing more homegrown players. Pogba fits that bill, and as a player who has starred with Les Bleus would naturally be an attractive talent to have in their ranks. No doubt they feel that they can unlock his talents better than Man Utd have – and they are indeed likely to offer him greater freedom on the field that would doubtless see him get his best on a more regular basis.
