Real Madrid Transfer News: Top Weekend Rumours and Gossip

Juventus legend Pavel Nedved has implored Paul Pogba to remain with the Italian giants despite the reported interest from Real Madrid.

The former Juve midfielder and current board member was pressed on a potential transfer in a recent interview with Avvenire (h/t Miles Chambers of Goal.com) and claimed any notion suggesting a move to the Spanish capital is in the offing is completely misguided:

"

I keep hearing that it’s almost certain that Pogba will leave Juventus at the end of the season.

Such talk is premature, because he’s still under contract. Paul is 21 years old and he has everything he needs at Juve to become an absolutely world-class player.

If later on he asks to leave, then we’ll talk.

"

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Pogba has turned in a string of stellar performances at the heart of the Juventus midfield recently, expediting an enhancement in reputation from potential world-class talent to a thoroughbred player who’s one of the best in the game.

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Not only is he dynamic, physical, technical and creative, he has this season developed a proclivity for gliding past opponents with the kind of grace and poise you’d expect from a wide player, per WhoScored.com:

With that in mind, it’s little surprise that a host of clubs—including Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City, per Chambers’ piece—are keen on luring him away from the Bianconeri. And while those aforementioned clubs command a certain amount of gravitas, it’s difficult to argue with the notion that Turin is an ideal place for Pogba to refine his talents further.

As we can see here, courtesy of Italian football expert Adam Digby, Nedved isn’t the first iconic player to claim the Frenchman should stick around in Turin:

The spotlight on Pogba is sharpening following his recent displays, but Serie A is currently not quite as high profile as either La Liga or the Premier League. Subsequently, the shackles are off the midfielder at the moment—something wholly evident in his recent displays—whereas a big-money move in the summer could create immense pressure.

From Madrid’s perspective, it’s easy to see why they would go after Pogba. Positionally, he would fill a potential void, with rumours regarding the futures of Sami Khedira and Asier Illarramendicontinuing to rage, per Bruce Archer of the Daily Star. But Los Blancos are always in the market for the world’s best players, regardless of their position.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti will be acutely aware that there are areas of his squad that need to replenished, however, and a quick glance over the personnel available to the Italian shows the spot they're arguably weakest at is right-back.

With that in mind, perhaps it is no surprise they have been linked with Porto star Danilo:

With speculation regarding the right-back’s future rife, current team-mate Jose Angel has talked up his abilities and insisted that he’d have absolutely no problem settling in at the Santiago Bernabeu, per Marca (ht/ Stefan Coerts of Goal.com):

"

Danilo is a great full-back. I think he has what it takes to play for Real Madrid.

He reminds me a bit of Maicon in his best days at Inter, when Madrid were interested in signing him. That's why I think he would be a good fit for Madrid.

He has been playing at a very high level at Porto. He adapted very well to the European game. It is never easy to deal with the pressure at a club like Madrid, but he has the experience to do it.

"

As noted by the aforementioned piece, Real’s great rivals Barcelona are also reportedly keen on the Brazilian star but wouldn’t be able to sign him until January 2016. Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez pondered whether the Blaugrana’s inability to land him this summer would give Los Blancos extra incentive to pursue the Porto man's signature:

Danilo is a vibrant talent and a player who would definitely rival current first-choice right-back Dani Carvajal for a spot in the XI. He’s particularly impressive going forward, but he also boasts the energy, diligence and fundamental defensive instincts required to make him a very tough player for opponents to get the better of.

Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press

Barcelona will be waiting on anxiously this summer, especially if they do view Danilo as an ideal long-term replacement for Dani Alves. But if Real Madrid come calling, given that the full-back only has until June 2016 left to run on his contract, it’s tough to see Porto standing firm and refusing to sell should they receive an offer of considerable clout.