Paul Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, has admitted for the first time that the midfielder is trying to force an exit from Manchester United this summer. Pogba is believed to favour a move to Real Madrid after becoming unsettled at United, with the coach, Zinedine Zidane, an admirer of the 26-year-old.
“Everyone within the club [United] from the manager to the owner knows Paul’s wishes,” Raiola told The Times. “Everyone knows the willingness of Paul to move on. We are in the process of that. Everyone knows what the feelings of Paul are.”
Pogba has been absent from United’s first week of training, having been granted extra rest by the manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjær. On Friday the club insisted Pogba will be in the squad that flies to Australia on Sunday for the start of the pre-season tour. Yet Raiola cast doubt on this. “I cannot tell you anything. I live day by day,” he said.
Pogba is contracted until 2021 with United having an option of a further 12 months. If he was to be sold the club’s asking price would start at the £89.3m fee paid to Juventus for Pogba in the summer of 2016.
Solskjær, meanwhile, has confirmed Manchester United are working on another two possible signings this summer. United have already brought in Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka ahead of the 2019-20 Premier League campaign.
“It’s a long-term and it’s a short-term project,” Solskjær told the club’s website. “You cannot just think three years down the line, so we’ve got short-term goals as well. I think we’ve been quite calm and good in the market as we’ve got the right people, and we’re still working on a case or two.
“Of course we’re always looking to improve the squad and all over the summer I’ve been in touch with Joel [Glazer] and Ed [Woodward] and all the recruitment people and analysis people. I’ve got to say it’s been very good so far. I’ve got the backing and we’ve got the people we wanted, for now, and there will probably be some more business being done.”
United have continued their summer business by handing new contracts to the academy graduates Andreas Pereira and Axel Tuanzebe.
Pereira, the 23-year-old Belgium-born Brazil midfielder, has committed himself until 2023, with the option of a further year. Pereira enjoyed a breakthrough 2018-19 campaign after spending previous seasons on loan at Granada and Valencia, and was given a run in the side after Solskjaer took over in December.
The defender Tuanzebe, 21, has committed until 2022, also with the option of a further year, after spending last season on loan at the Championship play-off winners, Aston Villa. Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata have also agreed new deals this summer.