Manchester United Transfer News: Paul Pogba Reacts to Juventus Exit Rumours

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has claimed he knows little of speculation linking him to a Manchester United return, insisting he is hoping to land more honours in Bianconeri colours, per Sky (via Raimondo De Magistris of tuttomercatoweb.com, h/t Chris Burton of HITC Sport). 

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United have seemingly been linked with a move for the Frenchman ever since he left Old Trafford back in 2012, and the most recent reports from La Gazetta Sportiva (h/t Tom Sheen of The Independent) claim the Red Devils will make a staggering £77 million offer to bring the player back to the club.

But at the moment, the 21-year-old seems to be settled in Turin and has revealed he’s not discussed any move with his agent, Mino Raiola.

“I do not know, with Raiola I have not talked about anything,” he said, per Burton’s piece. “We hope to win another Scudetto and go further in the Champions League compared to two years ago. I know I can give even more.”

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His commitment to Juve also manifested in the form of something tangible recently, as the former United man put pen to paper on an improved deal, per the Press Association (via The Guardian).

The prospect of Pogba getting even better is both fascinating and frightening. It is fascinating, of course, for supporters who have the pleasure of watching the midfielder in action, but it is also frightening for those opponents who are already struggling to cope with the Frenchman’s ability to boss a game with that rare combination of power and poise.

Here’s a look at why United would be willing to spend such a staggering amount on the player:

Pogba never really got a chance to showcase the best of his abilities at Old Trafford, and letting him go to the Italian champions has been one of the club’s biggest mistakes of the Premier League era. After all, if he’s not already, the Frenchman looks set to become the best central midfield player in the world. 

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WhoScored.com recently revealed the 21-year-old was rated as the 29th best player in the world over the course of 2014:

BT Sport’s James Horncastle praised the development of Pogba, who is the crown jewel of a host of Serie A talent:

At this juncture, a move to United wouldn’t make sense for Pogba. While he is a player who would command an immediate starting spot in the team’s first XI, Juve took a chance on him when his career was toiling in England and helped him blossom into the coveted talent that he is today. 

With that in mind, United may target some different options to bolster their squad in January, and Bleacher Report's Andy Brassell ran the rule over the latest rumours:

Juventus will be hoping to create some history of their own this season, too. Massimiliano Allegri has a squad bristling with quality options, and with a midfield trio of Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Pogba providing ammunition for Carlos Tevez, they’ll back themselves to win a fourth successive Scudetto and go far in the Champions League.

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Pogba insisted earlier in the season he’s expecting something special from this crop of Juve players, per Italian football writer Adam Digby:

Eventually, you suspect he will move on, and United are one of the few clubs on the planet that could afford what promises to be an astronomical fee. But for the time being, Pogba needs to play at a club where he can continue to express himself and continue to refine his enormous talent.

At a team where the spotlight will be unrelentingly focused upon him, he may not be able to do that. Going off the aforementioned quotes, it’s something that the player himself is acutely aware of, and subsequently, the Bianconeri look set to reap the benefits of this wonderful young player in 2015.