Chelsea Transfer News: Paul Pogba Deadline Set Amid Barcelona, PSG, City Rumours

Juventus have reportedly given star midfielder Paul Pogba three weeks to make a decision on his future, with Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain all said to be keen on signing him.

Both La Stampa and Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia) said the Italian champions have offered the Frenchman a bumper new contract that would see his annual salary rise to €6 million before bonuses.

It’s suggested Pogba will either put pen to paper on these terms or the club will move him on, with the aforementioned juggernauts of the European game said to be keen.

The cast of interested parties such as those noted is indicative of Pogba’s immense talent and growing star power. Here is why he’s considered among the best midfielders in the game:

It’s an understandable position for Juve to take, as the Serie A giants will not want speculation about the player’s future hanging over the club throughout the summer.

If Pogba pens a new deal, they’ll be able to focus on building a team for next season capable of making it six Serie A titles in a row, as well as going far in the UEFA Champions League. Additionally, moving the player on quickly would give the Bianconeri the entire summer to plot targets and acquire replacements.

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Nevertheless, it goes without saying that Juventus would love to keep Pogba.

Bleacher Report’s Gianni Verschueren thinks a new deal would be excellent news for the team:

Those associated with the Turin club may ponder why the player would want to move anyway. After all, he’s at the nucleus of a team that is winning major honours, improving season upon season and is steadily becoming one of the best outfits on the continent. Had they not run into Bayern Munich early in the Champions League knockout stages, they likely would have gone far again this term after reaching last season's final.

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Pogba is getting better as a player too. There are still rough edges to his game, and he did struggle in the early weeks of the campaign when manager Massimiliano Allegri handed him more responsibility. But the club's iconic No. 10 jersey seems a natural fit for the 23-year-old.

As these numbers from Squawka suggest, Pogba is a player who continues to improve at Juventus Stadium:

Still, at 23, he may feel the time is right for a new challenge. The prospect of linking up with former boss Antonio Conte, who gave Pogba a chance at Juve, at Chelsea in the Premier League would certainly be appealing.

The Blues may not be able to offer European football next term, but it's clear the Italian is going to come in, put his stamp on the side and seek to push them back up toward the upper reaches of the table. A signing such as Pogba, in terms of its monetary value and the quality of player he is, would certainly be a statement to the rest of the Premier League that the Blues will be a force again.

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As is evident by Juventus’ stranglehold on the division, Serie A isn’t particularly competitive. Credit must go to this awesome Bianconeri side with Pogba at its core, but a lack of competition can breed complacency, and Pogba must be wary of that.

Juventus clearly value their man highly, though, as Allegri himself noted recently, per BT Sport’s James Horncastle:

It’s a big decision for the player to make, and given the fact the onus seems to have been thrust onto him, Juventus are clearly keen on keeping him around. Pogba, who has won five honours with the club, will feel he’s done enough to repay the team for giving him a chance after he left Manchester United in 2012. So perhaps it is the right time to move on.

Juventus will feel as though Pogba can be the driving force behind Champions League success, though. They came close in 2015 and this term were seconds away from dumping out Bayern; it’s clear they aren’t miles away.

With the improving, imperious Frenchman at the heart of their side next season, it could be the best chance for continental glory the club has had for many years.