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Paul Pogba to Manchester United: £100m transfer 'could be completed in 48 hours' after breakthrough in Juventus talks

A €110m (£100m) fee, which includes €10m in add-ons, is said to have been agreed with Juventus

Samuel Stevens
Thursday 28 July 2016 10:15 BST
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Paul Pogba is Manchester United's number one summer transfer target
Paul Pogba is Manchester United's number one summer transfer target

Manchester United are reportedly confident they have made a breakthrough in their long-standing pursuit of Paul Pogba with a £100m transfer expected to be completed in the next 48 hours.

A €110m (£100m) fee, which includes €10m in add-ons, is said to have been agreed with Juventus meaning the player’s agent, Mino Raiola, can now continue to negotiate the terms on the Frenchman’s contract at Old Trafford with the Italian club also demanding a further €5m if new terms are agreed in the future.

The 23-year-old left United on a free transfer in 2012 on Sir Alex Ferguson’s watch but, according to The Guardian on Thursday, he is ready to return to the North West and link-up with Jose Mourinho’s squad ahead of the Community Shield clash with Premier League champions Leicester City on 3 August.

The report adds that Juventus would like United to pay the figure in full so the Italian title winners can recoup the €90m (£75.8m) figure they spent on taking Gonzalo Higuain from Serie A rivals Napoli earlier this week.

These developments come after Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane implied he is still in the race to sign Pogba, but United are far ahead of their Spanish rivals in terms of agreeing both a fee and personal terms.

Zidane said: “I don’t know if he will come. Until 31 August anything can happen. Everyone is interested in Pogba. He is a great footballer and when you are Madrid you always want the best.

“But now he is not a Real Madrid player, he is a Juventus player. I can’t say anything more.”

United have already secured lucrative deals to sign defender Eric Bailly (£30m), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (free) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£26m) as the club’s Portuguese new manager sets about trying to restore the club among the European elite.

Summer 2016 Transfer Window - Done deals and rumours

Ibrahimovic is set to join his new team-mates in training at Carrington this afternoon (Thurs), prompting captain Wayne Rooney to reveal his excitement at the Swede’s arrival this week.

“I am looking forward to it,” the 30-year-old said. “I think he has been one of the best strikers in world football over the last 10 years and he has always won trophies everywhere he has been.

“He is a huge character so I am looking forward to getting back, training with him and hopefully forming a good partnership and being successful together.”

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