Manchester United Transfer News: World-Class Stars Eyed in Latest Rumours

Manchester United’s hopes of bringing Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford have apparently been scuppered, with reports suggesting the Juventus man has agreed a deal in principle to sign for Paris Saint-Germain.

According to Le 10 Sport (h/t Chisanga Malata of the Daily Star), the Frenchman will snub interest from a host of European football’s elite—including the Red Devils, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea—to sign with the French champions at the end of the season.

Talk of a potential move to the Parc des Princes has been further fuelled by the player’s agent Mino Raiola, who told Le Parisien that the French top flight is not beneath a player of the 21-year-old’s stratospheric potential, per Malata’s piece:

"

No, Ligue 1 is not too small for Paul Pogba. For Paul, all the big clubs are interesting regardless of which championship they play in.

We respect the Spanish championship, the French championship, England, Italy and Germany.

"

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

PSG would certainly be able to offer the Frenchman a lucrative deal, but despite Raiola’s claims, Ligue 1 is a division that would represent a step down for Pogba. Already he plays for a team that boasts a hegemony over their domestic rivals and to move to a league with similar circumstances would definitely be a peculiar choice.

Bleacher Report’s French football expert Jonathan Johnson doesn't think these reports boast much substance, however:

If Pogba does move in the summer it’s imperative that it’s a transfer that’ll benefit him as a young footballer. United would potentially be a fine place for him to develop, as he’d certainly command a spot in the team’s midfield for years and years. But after leaving the club in 2012, would it be a wise move to backtrack with so many illustrious names interested?

Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta doesn’t think so and has insisted that for the time being the Bianconeri remain the best team for Pogba to flourish with, per Anthony Hay of the MailOnline:

"

His sports rights are with Juventus only, so it is Juventus who will decide.

However, the decision of the player is definitely critical. But, beyond this, we're speaking about a boy who is 21-years-old, he is very young, I think he can grow from game-to-game.

Here is the natural habitat for him - for his growth and his development. We recently extended his contract and we did with the perspective of wanting to build a competitive team around him.

"

Massimo Pinca/Associated Press

It’s difficult to argue with that assessment. Despite being a magnificent footballer, Pogba is still raw and still has plenty to learn. A potential world record move would heap a lot of pressure on this young man this summer, while staying at Juventus would allow him to develop steadily without the spotlight that would inevitably accompany a move to somewhere like Old Trafford.

With so many teams in for Pogba, United may be prompted into moving for other options in order to firm up their flimsy midfield. According Adrian Kajumba of the Mirror, that man could be Blaise Matuidi, who is reportedly keen on a move to the Premier League.

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

If he was to come in, it could leave a lot of United’s current midfield options out in the cold. Bleacher Report’s Alex Dimond took a look at which players could be on their way out of the club this summer amid a flurry of transfer activity:

Thibault Camus/Associated Press

Matuidi—also reportedly a target for Manchester City—is a talent that would add plenty to this Red Devils midfield. As a left-sided player he brings a natural balance, while his ferocious intensity off the ball and ability to surge forward with it make him one the most understatedly tenacious midfielders on the continent.

But as noted by Johnson, the Parisians are naturally against the idea of a sale:

If PSG were to let Matuidi leave, you suspect it would only be if they had a deal in place for someone like Pogba or if they were to receive a major transfer fee. Otherwise the French champions would find it very difficult to locate a presence at the nexus of this team that boasts comparable intensity.

The Frenchman would be a fine signing for United and his stylistic principles would make him an almost perfect fit for the abrasive nature of English football. But Matuidi is one of the most important figures within this PSG squad and, as such, it’s very difficult to foresee them relinquishing his services.