Manchester United transfer news: Paul Pogba move drags on and Jose Mourinho 'closes in' on Fabinho signing

The latest transfer news and speculation surrounding Old Trafford

Paul Pogba is expected to join Manchester United in the coming days (Getty)

Manchester United’s move for Paul Pogba continues to remain on hold despite reports of an agreement being reached between all parties on Friday, with the midfielder’s agent denying that everything was in place to see Pogba leave Juventus in a world record transfer.

United will pay around £112m to sign Pogba, four years after allowing him to leave for just £800,000 when former manager Sir Alex Ferguson fell out with agent Mino Raiola. The deal, reported by the Daily Mail to have been completed, will see United pay Juventus £92m and Raiola £20m, with the Serie A champions stumping up the additional £4m to cover the tax costs in paying Raiola.

However, it’s added that the deal will be announced at £84.3m, just shy of the world record £86m that Real Madrid paid Tottenham to sign Gareth Bale in 2013, in order to meet Italian tax laws.

Despite the reports of a deal being reached emanating from England, Italy and France, Raiola took to Twitter to criticise journalists reporting on the move and claimed that there was still no agreement between the two clubs and Pogba. Raiola posted: “Journalist = parrots No deal done between Clubs. It’s a game between Italy press and UK press who announce it first and who is worse.”

Raiola is not the only to make light of the transfer reports, as Pogba himself has posted two pictures from a trip to California’s Universal Studios to joke he is undergoing a medical and has signed a contract with United.

Pogba travelled from Miami to Los Angeles on Thursday after it emerged he would undergo a basic medical as part of his move to United. With Jose Mourinho’s squad flying out to Sweden for Saturday’s pre-season fixture against Galatasaray in Gothenburg, it was agreed that the France international would have a medical in LA before completing a full assessment on his arrival in Manchester.

United are also closing in on the signing of Monaco right-back Fabinho, according to Brazilian news outlet Globoesporte. The 22-year-old emerged as a transfer target earlier this month, and with United’s options at right-back proving far from convincing following Matteo Darmian’s injury-hit debut season and Antonio Valencia’s preference to play further forward, it appears Mourinho could launch a move for a fifth new signing this summer – providing Pogba completes his move as Mourinho’s fourth “pivotal” signing.

Fabinho worked under Mourinho’s guidance at Real Madrid before heading to Monaco, firstly on loan for two seasons before completing a permanent move last summer. Having represented Brazil on four occasions, Fabinho has been tipped as a future Selecao regular, although he failed to make an appearance at the Copa America in either of their last two campaigns despite being part of the squad.

Negotiations over a move are expected to be smooth given that Fabinho is represented by Jorge Mendes, the same agent that looks after Mourinho’s affairs.

According to The Sun, Fabinho could be a replacement for Matteo Darmian after Napoli were linked with a move for the Italian. Darmian endured an injury-plagued first season at United under Louis van Gaal and struggled for consistency, although he did feature in Italy’s Euro 2016 campaign last month.

Finally, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson looks to be leaving Old Trafford on loan after he held talks with the club over his future. According to the Manchester Evening News, Borthwick-Jackson will be allowed to join another club temporarily after Mourinho decided to cover left-back Luke Shaw with Daley Blind. It emerged during the week that nine of United’s fringe players, including World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger, were told by Mourinho that they should find new clubs as they do not figure in his plans this season, with Borthwick-Jackson one of those due to be sent out on loan.

Andreas Pereira, Adnan Januzaj and Timothy Fosu-Mensah are also expected to leave on short-term deals, while Schweinsteiger, Will Keane, James Wilson, Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett all told to seek permanent transfers.