Manchester City Transfer News: Paul Pogba Talks Threaten New Blow to United

Manchester City have held talks with Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba’s agent to discuss a possible deal for the former Manchester United youngster.

Writing for CalcioMercato.it (h/t 101 Great Goals), Tancredi Palmeri reports City representatives spoke with Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola last Friday. Palmeri says the meeting was "pretty positive."

Pogba signed a new contract at Juventus at the end of October to stay until 2019. According to Palmeri, Juventus would need an offer in the region of €70 million (£55 million) to consider selling him so soon after signing his new deal.

That fee is vastly different to the bargain free transfer Juventus picked up from United in July 2012, when Sir Alex Ferguson allowed one of the brightest stars of today's generation to slip through his grasp.

He appears in no hurry to leave after recently telling the France Football Federation’s website when asked about his goals: “Winning Euro 2016, becoming a great player, winning the Champions League. The contract with Juve will allow me to move forward to meet my goals."

City’s reported interest in the France international seems to have stemmed from the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Yaya Toure’s future at the Etihad Stadium. Rob Shepherd of the Daily Mail writes that City would consider a January move for Pogba due to concerns that Toure wants to leave for Paris Saint-Germain.

And with Toure turning 32 by the end of the season, it is understandable that City are looking at long-term replacements for the Ivorian.

Pogba still has some way to go, though, to be a natural replacement for Toure given the two players’ contributions to their clubs over the past two-and-a-half seasons.

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According to WhoScored.com, since Pogba joined Juventus, he has scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 75 Serie A appearances. In the same period, Toure has scored 30 goals and created 15 assists in 81 Premier League games.

If City did make an approach for Pogba, it could prompt a return to Manchester.

Pogba had been a highly rated prospect at United, but he made only seven substitute appearances in the first team before leaving on a free transfer. To see him line up in City blue would be a constant reminder at Old Trafford of what they let slip.

His former United team-mate Rio Ferdinand told the BBC in the summer: "Paul told me before he left that he wanted to be "the best player in the world". I don't know whether that will happen, but he will definitely turn out to be the best midfielder in the world."

Daniel Taylor of The Observer wrote back in the summer that United had even shown an interest in trying to bring Pogba back to the red half of Manchester. Former manager David Moyes was reportedly keen on signing Pogba as part of his plans to improve United’s midfield.

A fee of £60 million was quoted if United wanted to pursue their interest after Louis van Gaal replaced Moyes as manager. Following reports of City’s talks with Pogba’s agent, United might now be hurried into deciding whether they can afford to let the player slip through their grasp a second time.