Barcelona Transfer News: Paul Pogba Tops List of Names Ruled out by Blaugrana

Barcelona have reportedly ruled out signing Juventus star Paul Pogba during the summer transfer window, despite having a strong interest in the youngster.

That's according to Lluis Miguelsanz of Sport, who published a list of big-name players the Blaugrana would like to sign but won't at the end of the season. The list includes the likes of Everton's John Stones, AC Milan's Alessio Romagnoli and Ilkay Gundogan of Borussia Dortmund, a player he expects to move to Manchester City.

But Pogba is undoubtedly the biggest name on the list. And while the Catalans know his capture would be "huge," he won't be joining in 2016: "Barcelona know he would be a huge signing but he's not a priority this summer and they will not enter the running for him."

Here's a look at some of the 22-year-old's greatest hits of the past season:

The France international is widely considered among the best central midfielders in the world, and given his age, he's expected to contend for the Ballon d'Or award in the near future.

Blessed with raw athleticism, physical strength and remarkable technique, he's reminiscent of City star Yaya Toure when he was younger. Pogba can hold his own defensively and create for others, but he's at his best when he attacks the box himself.

He's also a fantastic shooter from long range, capable of pulling off highlight-reel plays on a weekly basis. Consistency has been an issue, but that's to be expected from a player who won't be turning 23 until later this month.

Riccardo De Luca/Associated Press

Per Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t metro.co.uk's Mark Brus), the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Manchester United are all interested in his services, and if he performs well during the upcoming UEFA Euro 2016 tournament, there's a good chance all those clubs will approach Juventus during the summer.

Bianconeri director Beppe Marotta maintains the club has no intention of selling Pogba, however, as he told La Domenica Sportiva (h/t the Daily Express' Charlie Phillippe): "Our intentions are to keep Pogba, like we did last year even if there were multiple offers."

Juventus lost midfielders Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal last summer, but in both cases, the timing of the departures was just right. Pirlo is slowly approaching the end of his career, and Vidal's value was at an all-time high―he hasn't been as consistently great for Bayern Munich as he was for the Old Lady.

It was yet another example of Juventus' smart business in the transfer market. The Italians have a solid reputation for keeping talent at the club, and they generally don't sell their star players unless they have to and the buying club is willing to spend big.

Years ago, they sold Zinedine Zidane to Real Madrid for a then-record fee of £46 million, and the team looked much stronger in the following seasons, as that money was invested in a number of top players, including Pavel Nedved, per the Guardian's Simon Evans.

The situation with Pogba is similar, and Juventus will undoubtedly look for the same outcome. Per ESPN FC's David Amoyal, they haven't been afraid to turn down huge offers for Pogba in the past:

The Bianconeri have put together an exciting young squad featuring the likes of Paulo Dybala and Daniele Rugani, two players who look like future superstars. The club challenges for the Serie A title every year and plays in the UEFA Champions League on a yearly basis. There's a lot they can offer Pogba, who clearly feels comfortable in Turin.

That means he's unlikely to push for a transfer next summer, allowing the Bianconeri to wait for massive offers or simply not move the player. That in turn is good news for Barcelona―if they're interested in signing Pogba at a later date, there's a good chance he'll still be plying his trade in Turin.

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