Barcelona Transfer News: Paul Pogba Meeting Eyed, Fresh Ilkay Gundogan Rumours

Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has made contact with Paul Pogba's agent over the Juventus starlet possibly moving to the Camp Nou.

Nima Tavallaey Roodsari and David Amoyal, who write on behalf of GianlucaDiMarzio.com, report Laporta has been in correspondence with Mino Raiola, Pogba's representative. "The Catalan giants want to secure the services of the player now in order to sign him officially in January of 2016 when Barcelona's ban on the transfer market ends," they wrote.

Laporta is likely hoping to strike a deal in order to aid his campaign to return to the position of FCB president.

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He promised to deliver the signing of former Manchester United star David Beckham before winning the election in 2003, only to see the Englishman join Real Madrid in the same year. However, Laporta played a key role in acquiring Ronaldinho, leading Barca toward an era of success with the arrival of the flamboyant Brazilian.

Current Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu is also interested in utilising star names to secure re-election, per Spanish football writer Sergi Dominguez:

Pogba is one of the game's most talented youngsters. He struggled in a central-midfield role against Barca during the Blaugrana's Champions League final defeat of Juve, but the Frenchman is fast-developing into a supremely confident, well-rounded player.

The 22-year-old is strong, technically gifted and willing to help out with all phases of play. He often leads Juve's counter-attacking forays, gobbling up the ground with his long strides forward. Although prone to lapses of concentration—perhaps via a petty foul or misplaced pass—the former Manchester United man already ranks among Europe's best.

B/R UK's Guillem Balague previously discussed Barca's interest in the player:

Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo (h/t Adam Shergold of the MailOnline) reported a "verbal transfer" for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan had been agreed in May. He is also noted as a target for United, but reports in Germany indicate the 24-year-old may remain at the Westfalenstadion next season.

"This is clearly an option again" Ilhan Gundogan, the player's agent and uncle, told Sueddeutsche Zeitung (h/t Sky Sports). "There are several things in favour of Ilkay finding (a way) back to his old level and doing that in a familiar, comfortable environment."

Gundogan returned to action in December after spending over a year on the sidelines with a back injury, per Sky Sports. He is a classy distributor of the ball, someone whose natural game fits into the possession-based football of Barcelona, but his recent fitness trouble may deter the interest of major clubs.

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Sport Witness provided comment:

Barca boss Luis Enrique will likely welcome the club's election, as his squad is destined to benefit from it. The Catalan club secured a famous treble during the recently concluded season and have the foundations to dominate the continent for years to come.

We can expect further squad tuning once the side's transfer ban lifts halfway through the upcoming campaign, a frightening prospect for Europe's elite.