Paul Pogba Transfer Eyed by Real Madrid, Los Blancos Rumours for Summer Moves

Real Madrid only ever move for their Galacticos in the summer. Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, David Beckham and Kaka all moved to the Bernabeu in the summer months.

It is unsurprising then that Los Blancos stayed quiet in the most recent January window. However, come the season's end, Real will no doubt start lining up their next huge target.

Juventus' Paul Pogba is widely regarded to be that target, per B/R UK's Spanish football expert, Guillem Balague:

The 21-year-old Frenchman is arguably the most exciting midfield prospect in the world right now and has been linked with the biggest and richest European clubs, including the likes of Paris St-Germain and Manchester United, per Goal.com's Mark Doyle. 

However, when it comes to high-profile moves, no club has a more storied history than Real, and it looks as though Pogba may well be available come the summer based on comments from his agent, Mino Raiola, per La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t BBC Sport):

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If Paul leaves Juventus, it is for the absolute top. If it does not happen this year, it will be next year. Paul is the only major star who is available at the end of the season. If you cannot take Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Zlatan Ibrahimovic, you can only go for Paul. If someone wants him, the market situation could see him go for more than €100m.

"

With Pogba's current contract at Juve set to run until 2019, the former United man will certainly command a huge transfer fee if he does move.

Raiola's quoted €100 million (£75 million) valuation is similar to the amount Real paid for Bale and Ronaldo in recent years, and B/R UK's Matteo Bonetti believes Pogba should demand such a price: 

Pogba is hotly tipped to be the next world superstar in football, following in the footsteps of Lionel Messi and Ronaldo, per ESPN FC:

Real like to buy in the best of the best, no matter the price and even if they are not necessarily needed.

Los Blancos already have some top players in the centre of midfield, including Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, but that is unlikely to stop them going all out for Pogba in what is set to be the summer's biggest transfer story.

Paul White/Associated Press

In slightly less high-profile news, Asier Illarramendi stayed put at the Bernabeu in January despite links to Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, Liverpool and Arsenal, per Jamie Sanderson of Metro.

However, he is unlikely to get any more consistent playing time in the second half of the season—he has started only four league games this season, per WhoScored.com—and will surely move on in the summer.

Lucas Silva recently arrived at Madrid, meaning the Spanish defensive midfielder now sits behind the former Cruzeiro man, Kroos, Modric and Sami Khedira in the pecking order for a first-team spot.

Even if Pogba does not make the switch to Madrid, Illarramendi is surely still set to be a benchwarmer unless he makes a move elsewhere in the summer.