Barcelona Transfer News: Director Doesn't Anticipate Move for Paul Pogba

Barcelona director Ariedo Braida has said he doesn't think the Catalan club will complete a move for Manchester United star Paul Pogba this summer. 

Links between Barca and the Red Devils midfielder have been strong for weeks, but after the closure of the Premier League transfer window, Braida told Radio Sportiva (h/t ESPN FC's Sam Marsden): "I don't think we're going to move for Pogba, but he's a great player."

The Telegraph's Sam Wallace reported earlier this month that United have told the Blaugrana Pogba isn't for sale. The Premier League club can no longer buy players, though they can sell to clubs in most of Europe's other top leagues, including La Liga, until Friday, August 31.

Pogba signed a five-year contract upon returning to Old Trafford for a club-record £89 million in 2016, but murmurs of a move to Barca have increased amid an alleged falling out with Jose Mourinho.

Following his post-2018 FIFA World Cup break, Pogba started in the league-opening 2-1 win over Leicester City and was even made captain by his coach. ESPN's Alex Shaw suggested the Frenchman deserves new terms in Manchester and remarked upon this summer's chaos at the Theatre of Dreams:

Barcelona have already added to their midfield this offseason and spent around £50 million on the signings of Arthur Melo from Gremio and Arturo Vidal from Bayern Munich.

That being said, Pogba wouldn't take up any non-EU spots in the squad as that South American duo do, and the Daily Mail's Chris Wheeler wrote that Pogba's agent, Mino Raiola, wants to get his client out of the club.

Despite not having as lengthy a pre-season with the squad as most of his team-mates, Pogba wasn't found to be lacking in his first Premier League appearance of the campaign, as shown by Squawka:

Blogger Liam Canning believes the captain's armband looked good in his possession:

It's unlikely United would settle for anything less than a substantial increase on the £89 million investment they made two years ago if they were to sell Pogba, who has three years left on his contract.

It's unclear whether the friction genuinely exists between United's hierarchy and the playing staff, though it's clear Mourinho is at the epicentre of much of it, though journalist Shamoon Hafez stated he's an unessential cog:

Barcelona's hopes of signing Pogba this summer may seem slim, but perhaps a move in the future is on the cards.

The Premier League's earlier transfer window closure this year has thrown a spanner in the works for Europe's other top clubs, and all signs suggest Barca will have to wait if they wish to see Pogba in Camp Nou colours.