Paul Pogba has requested to leave Juventus this summer, and the Bianconeri will seek to recoup a record-equalling €100m for the midfielder, according to AS.
Reports in Spain last week claimed Juve rejected an opening offer of €80m from Barca for the 22-year-old, but it seems the Italian champions are ready to enter negotiations with interested suitors over the coming months.
The newspaper claims the Catalans, along with Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, are the three clubs who have already spoken to the Old Lady about Pogba, with the French giants making it clear they can meet the €100m figure quoted.
City will not be able to reach that figure but are confident they can negotiate a player-plus-cash deal, while Barca sporting director Ariedo Braida has already met with the player’s agent Mino Raiola, despite La Blaugrana’s transfer ban.
Nevertheless, Barca plan to circumvent the ruling by loaning him back out to Juve for a season and cover his new salary, while they may use either Pedro Rodriguez or Martin Montoya as a bargaining chip in talks.
However, Madrid are understood to have pulled themselves out of the running as President Florentino Perez is unwilling to invest €100m in a player who is perceived to have an unstable private life.
The supremo is quoted as saying: “Until a year ago [Pogba] lived with his mother, he doesn’t come out at night and yes, he’s very religious.”
Any move for Pogba would equal the €100m reportedly shelled out by Madrid in the summer of 2013 for Gareth Bale.
