Juventus are open to the sale of Paul Pogba in the coming transfer window and have encouraged the France international's agent in his efforts to find the midfielder a new club. The Italian champions have been budgeting on taking a transfer fee of least €80million for Pogba since agreeing that price with Barcelona last summer.
Barca reached that deal on the basis that Pogba remained in Serie A for one further season before moving to the Camp Nou ahead of their 2016-17 campaign. The agreement was also predicated on the Catalan club successfully negotiating a contract with Pogba, whose representative, Mino Raiola, had established vertiginous demands of a €12m after tax salary.
The Spanish champions' priorities have shifted in the months since, however, with the club's finances tightening due to the expected loss of substantial sponsorship revenues from Qatar at the same time as Neymar presses for a huge new contract. Rather than acquire Pogba to play in midfield, coach Luis Enrique has requested that the club concentrate recruitment resources on strengthening the center of defense.
Though Neymar is expected to sign improved terms this month, increasing his €190m release clause, it is understood that the Brazil forward has yet to make a final decision on where he will play next season. Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United have all made overtures to the 24-year-old with Madrid, in particular, promising to shield Neymar from the tax investigation that has unsettled him in Barcelona.
Pogba, meanwhile, has been left to canvas Europe's other elite clubs for a potential place of employment. With Pep Guardiola requesting an overhaul of every section of his new squad, Manchester City have focused their attentions elsewhere, while Chelsea have shown no sign of investing such a sum on a single player, and can no longer offer Champions League football.
At present, Pogba is understood to have two firm offers. One is from Manchester United, who despite missing out on Champions League qualification for the second time in three years remain obsessed with the idea of bringing an elite player to Old Trafford. The other is PSG, whose ownership by Qatar, provides them with the finances to try and tempt Pogba to commit himself to Ligue 1 football.
If neither proposal holds the appeal of Barcelona's to Pogba, Juventus are preparing their summer trading in the expectation of a sale. The club has approached Andre Gomes to assess the young Portugal midfielder's interest in joining them from Valencia.
Post of the year. Undroppable