Pogba Saga Underlines Diminished Prestige, Financial Clout of Juventus, Serie A

Paul Pogba only recently agreed a new contract at Juventus.

Acquired from Manchester United in 2012, the midfielder put pen to paper on a pact last autumn that will see him paid nearly £70,000 per week if he remains with the Bianconeri until its expiration in 2019, according to the Guardian.

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In the context of the modern transfer market, it's not at all difficult to see the agreement for what it is: a necessary move by the Scudetto holders to maximise the 21-year-old's value.

Despite his age, Pogba could be earning at least twice his current salary in England or Spain, and he's likely headed to one of those countries in the summer.

So says his agent, Mino Raiola.

"Not a single player at the age of 21 has shown the world what he can do," remarked Raiola in a recent interview with the French program Telefoot, as per Football Italia. "His future? He could join any team. If the right time comes this summer, then it will happen."

Juventus, it would seem, are already treating Pogba's exit as an eventuality.

If, as Raiola says, any fee for the France international would "beat the transfer record of €94 million set by Cristiano Ronaldo's move from Manchester United to Real Madrid," the financial realities of Italian football would make it foolhardy for them to stand in his way.

No Serie A club—not even Juventus—can compete with the wages on offer at the likes of Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, and Pogba's value will only be maximised if he doesn't request a departure.

In other words, they must work shrewdly while keeping the player content for the time being. Thus the October contract.

But who are they targeting to replace Pogba in Turin?

Zenit St. Petersburg's Axel Witsel is an option, according to the Express, as is Braga starlet Danilo, according to Sambafoot.

Indeed, Danilo's agent, Jorge Mendes, has already confirmed Juve's interest in his client, but while both players would be able to hold down a defensive role in the centre of the park, it's unlikely either could replicate.

But Pogba has been able to contribute in a playmaking capacity—and therein lies his value.

He is a true "all-rounder," a midfielder as adept at putting the stop to a piece of opposition buildup as he is at creating a goalscoring opportunity in the attacking third.

Manchester City, according to ESPN FC, are thought to view him as the long-term replacement for Yaya Toure, who will soon be 32 years old. Real Madrid, meanwhile, are reeling after a poor start to 2015 and could conceivably make him the centrepiece of a summer spending spree.

In any event it's highly unlikely Pogba will see out his Juventus contract, and with regard to a transfer in the next few months, it would be prudent to take Raiola at his word.

Serie A, while finally trending upward, is still in no position to accommodate a footballer of Pogba's financial upside. He'll go where the money is, and in that, he's no different than anyone else fortunate enough to find themselves in his position.