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Real Madrid want to use Gareth Bale as a makeweight in any potential deal for Manchester United’s Paul Pogba this summer, as reported by The Mirror.
What’s the story?
Having just completed the capture of former Chelsea star Eden Hazard, the Spanish giants are clearly on the hunt for expensive talent they feel can usher in a new successful era under manager Zinedine Zidane.
No surprise then that they’re looking at Pogba, one of the outstanding midfielders in European football right now.
The Mirror say Zidane is eager to make the French World Cup winner his next signing, with the surplus-to-requirements Gareth Bale set to be used to tempt United into biting on a potential deal.
The paper say that Bale, who earns £600,000-a-week, could drive down Man United’s £130m asking price for Pogba if an agreement can be reached on the Welshman’s mega-money contract.
Could Harry Maguire be on his way to Old Trafford? Check out the video below to see why it would make so much sense…
Would this move suit United?
Despite Pogba’s problems at Old Trafford, he is a player who has enough talent for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to build a side around over the next few years.
They simply can’t be thinking of selling him this summer, even if Bale is included in any deal.
The Welsh icon is obviously an exceptional player and there would be little doubt about his ability to make an attacking impact in the United team if he did return to the Premier League, but Pogba is simply the kind of talent who can offer more in the long-term.
Where would United have been last season without his 16 goals and 11 assists from central midfield? Far worse off than they ended up.
Pogba rebirth
Having persevered through the mire of the Jose Mourinho years, the Frenchman now has the opportunity to finally be the leader that United need to get back to the top of the game.
If Solskjaer can surround him with ambitious young talent then progress can be made.
Ultimately if the player is not happy staying in Manchester that might dictate a club decision, but if all is well and he remains committed, biting on any Real Madrid deal for him could prove disastrous to the ambitions of the Old Trafford side next season and beyond.