Manchester United Transfer News: Lionel Messi and Paul Pogba Finances in Place

Manchester United’s apparent pursuits of Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba and Marquinhos are growing in credence as the club’s new £750 million kit deal with Adidas means no player in world football is out of the Red Devils’ price range.

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According to Mike Keegan of the Daily Mail, the agreement with the supplier means the club can have their pick of the brightest talents in world football, fuelling speculation about the aforementioned reported targets. 

Messi is a name that will be a tantalising proposition for the Old Trafford faithful, and Keegan elaborated on what this deal means for United’s prospects of signing the Barcelona star, citing a source who helped plunder the 10-year kit deal:

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The source said that United's agreement with adidas may well make them an attractive proposition for the Argentina star. 'It certainly would not hinder it,' they added.

Old Trafford is seen as the only possible destination should Messi end an emotional 14-year stay at the Nou Camp.

United are arguably the only club that can match Real Madrid's financial muscle and a switch to Barcelona's deadly rivals is unthinkable. Both Manchester City and Chelsea are restricted by UEFA's Financial Fair Play restrictions while there are no such issues for United chief executive Ed Woodward.

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Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe ran the rule over a potential deal for Messi, claiming that the chances of him ever leaving Barcelona are very slim:

Indeed, even if United have a bottomless pit of money and the means to throw a stratospheric salary the way of the Argentina star, it would still be very unlikely to see him swap the Blaugrana jersey for the red and white of the Red Devils. 

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He seems eminently settled in Catalonia despite recent murmurings noted in Keegan’s piece, and even though United apparently have the requisite funds to broker a deal, he and Cristiano Ronaldo may be the two players on the continent who are out of the Red Devils’ reach.

At this juncture, why would the pair—revered as deistic figures at their respective clubs—go anywhere else?

One player who may be tempted by the prospect of a move to United is the club’s former midfielder, Pogba.

While a reported opening £62 million bid for the Frenchman—per Turin newspaper La Stampa (h/t Hannah Duncan of Metro)—may have been dismissed as nonsense not too long ago, it’s clear that kind of money is potentially mere pocket change to the club.

Here’s a look at what Pogba could add to United’s cause:

According to Duncan’s piece, United are willing to offer the Juventus man £7 million per year to rejoin the club. There are few players on the planet worth that kind of money, but Pogba is a young midfielder capable of going on to be one of the all-time greats at his position.

French football expert Jonathan Johnson thinks the Red Devils could face some stiff competition for his signature, though:

The speculation regarding Pogba has lingered in perpetuity, and it’s natural that he’d be linked with United given his previous ties to the club. However, he recently penned a five-year deal with Juventus. What's more, as noted here by Sport Witness, the whole cycle is becoming a little tiresome now:

Pogba will leave the Bianconeri one day, but for the time being, Serie A remains the ideal place for him to flourish. There’s plenty of room for improvement in his game, and after giving him the opportunity to develop upon leaving United, you suspect he’ll be happy to remain in Turin for a while yet.

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Another player reportedly on United’s radar is young Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos.

According to Shaun Custis and Antony Kastrinakis of The Sun, the Brazilian is on Van Gaal’s list of targets, but the club won’t move for the player until the summer.

Here’s why Marquinhos is rated as one of the world’s most promising central defenders:

This is a move that looks as though it could feasibly happen, even if United weren’t set to be bankrolled by this enormous kit deal. Marquinhos is seemingly third choice with the French champions behind David Luiz and Thiago Silva, and it’s vital he gets more minutes on the pitch so he can refine his abilities and fulfil his undeniable potential.

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With that being said, a quoted world-record fee for the player—as noted by the aforementioned piece (h/t BBC Sport)—is beyond ridiculous for the 20-year-old:

Marquinhos has all the attributes to be a magnificent defender, and if United could get him on board, it would be a major coup. However, even for a club as flush as the Red Devils, a fee of £112 million is far too much.

Surely a reasonable compromise could be met between the two teams?

Given that he’s only made 10 league starts for a toiling PSG team this season, per WhoScored.com, you suspect the player himself may also be keen on a move to the Premier League. Stylistically, he’s an ideal fit for both the division and Van Gaal’s United.

If they can get the reported asking price down a lot, this is a deal that could suit all parties concerned.