Barcelona Transfer News: Paul Pogba Deal Reported Amid Chelsea, PSG Rumours

Barcelona have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, meaning both Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea are set to miss out on the Bianconeri sensation.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Alex Harris of the Daily Star), Pogba will move to the Camp Nou in January after Josep Maria Bartomeu and Andrea Agnelli, the presidents of Barca and Juve, respectively, struck an agreement. It’s claimed by Harris that the transfer could be announced on January 1 2016, when the Blaugrana’s transfer ban is lifted.

Earlier this year, Bleacher Report’s Graham Ruthven took a look at how strong this Barcelona team would be should Pogba join up:

The Frenchman is not a player who aligns perfectly with the standard Barcelona principles. Sure, he’s an able passer of the ball and a fine technician, but his game is based more on physicality and dynamism rather than sharp touches. But this Blaugrana team are a few shades removed from that quintessential Barcelona style of play.

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It’d make Pogba the perfect player to operate at the core of this team. His ability to spoil opposition play and break the lines would make Pogba a devastating foil for the triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar. As we can see here courtesy of OptaPaolo, the 22-year-old loves bringing the ball forward:

There are still things for Pogba to learn at the highest level, though. A little more care with his final pass would enrich his game even further, while sometimes his defensive skills can leave a little to be desired, especially when up against instinctive, sharp midfield players. But they will all come on leaps and bounds at Barca.

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Indeed, while current manager Luis Enrique doesn’t deploy quite as intense a pressing game as former boss Pep Guardiola, the Blaugrana do look to nick the ball back off their opponents high up the pitch. It’s something Pogba is an expert at already, per WhoScored.com:

Getting a player of his quality in midseason would be a major boost for all at the Camp Nou. But for Pogba’s sake, a move in January would make little sense. After all, having stayed at Juventus throughout the summer months, upping sticks midway through the season would be disruptive to his own season and the Bianconeri’s.

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Indeed, as football analyst Jack Rathborn noted here, there’s a clear intent on the part of Pogba to take on some more responsibility with the Italian champions in a crucial term:

When quizzed on his future recently Pogba was coy and even insisted he could stay in Turin for another season after the current one, per Hamish Mackay of the Daily Mirror. But while Juventus are a wonderful club and a tremendous team with which to develop, any player would have their head turned by a possible move to Catalonia.

If Barcelona are to win the race for the Frenchman over Chelsea and PSG, per Harris’ piece, then it’d be a major coup for the La Liga giants. This team has been unable to sign any players since last summer and while that’s been frustrating for Enrique, if they can announce their arrival back in the transfer market with the recruitment of Pogba, it’d be a massive statement of intent from the European champions.