Manchester United Transfer News: Paul Pogba Deadline Amid Blaise Matuidi Rumours

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is ready to drop his interest in Juventus’ Paul Pogba should a deal fail to be finalised before August 7's Community Shield game against Leicester City, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Blaise Matuidi the contingency plan.

That’s according to Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, who stated Mourinho wants the move sewn up quickly and has already isolated an alternative should a world-record deal for Pogba not come off.

While the cutoff point has been set by Mourinho, United are still confident of getting a deal done for Pogba prior to their meeting with Leicester, per Luckhurst.

The M.E.N. reporter explained on Twitter why the Portuguese has given those involved in the transfer a nudge:

News of a deadline being set for this deal will be encouraging for United supporters, as the transfer saga has dragged on for much of the summer. They’ll be encouraged to know there’s potentially a great player on the way to Old Trafford in Matuidi should Pogba’s move collapse.

They are definitely different types of midfielders, though. Here is a look at how they each compared statistically in league matches last season:

	Pogba	Matuidi
Apps (Sub)	33 (2)	23 (8)
Goals	8	4
Assists	12	6
Shots per game	3.5	0.5
Key passes per game	1.5	0.9
Dribbles per game	2.9	0.7
Tackles per game	2.2	2.4
Interceptions per game	1.3	1.5

Pogba, naturally, would be the more exciting capture. His ascension since departing Old Trafford four years ago has been rapid. In Serie A, he’s regularly bossed midfield tussles, bustling past opponents with panache before producing spectacular moments in the attacking third.

Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Given his taste for wonderful moments, physicality, technical flair and tender years, it’s no surprise there are many complexities holding up a deal the value of which would surely surpass the £85.3 million Real Madrid paid Tottenham Hotspur for Gareth Bale in 2013.

Sports journalist Liam Canning doesn’t think it would be too great an issue if United were to fall short in their pursuit of the 23-year-old, though:

That's especially true with someone such as Matuidi in the pipeline. While Pogba comes alive in the attacking third, the 29-year-old does his best work in the middle section of the pitch.

As these clips show, he’s a bundle of brilliant energy at the core of a team:

You could argue he’s more suited to Mourinho’s methods too. Pogba, for all his talent, does have a tendency to vacate his position, cling to possession and overcomplicate simple pieces of play—all traits that would likely irritate the pragmatic Portuguese. Matuidi is a much more functional footballer.

The PSG man would offer United greater assurance at the base of the midfield, too. As a left-sided player, he brings balance, while his defensive attributes and unshakeable concentration would offer a sturdy shield to what has been an unconvincing Red Devils defence in recent times.

Xavier Laine/Getty Images

Bleacher Report’s Nick Akerman believes signing Matuidi and having money left over would leave the Old Trafford club in a strong position:

Mourinho will want to avoid this transfer speculation hanging over the club for longer than necessary. While there will be an acceptance on his part that deals such as the mooted one for Pogba require patience, it’s important to balance that with the requirements of his players and preparing for United's Premier League opener against Bournemouth on August 14.

Pogba would make United a fearsome attacking outfit, especially with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan signed to support the likes of Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney and Marcus Rashford.

Matuidi may not be as glamorous as his France team-mate, but he's got the tools to thrive under Mourinho should United lure him to Old Trafford.