Control your excitement, but it seems that it is finally happening. The signing of Paul Pogba for Manchester United could be confirmed today, claim the Telegraph. Pogba was given permission to undergo a medical in Manchester yesterday, with confirmation and an announcement of the transfer expected today, for a fee believed to be between £90 million and £100 million.
Pogba will most likely be the final piece of the jigsaw for Jose Mourinho after the Portuguese boss picked up his first title as Manchester United boss with victory over Leicester City in the Community Shield. Pogba will now join his new teammates for training this week and will be hoping to reach match fitness sooner rather than later with some vital games coming up early on in the Red Devils fixture list, which they will want their new star to be available for.
One man headed the other way is Bastian Schweinsteiger. The Croydon Advertiser now report that there is strong English interest in signing the German 32 year old, who Mourinho has placed in training with the reserves until he is forced out of the club on a permanent basis. They say that Crystal Palace and Everton are monitoring his situation and considering offers for the World Cup winner.
United are desperate to sell and may see selling him to an English club as the easiest option after complications arose in their attempts to sell him to Turkish and German clubs. However, Schweinsteiger is likely to want to play at the highest possible level and is likely to be hoping for Champions League football, or at very worst Europa League football, which neither of these sides can offer. With not long left to go in this summer’s window, a deal may eventually be forced through, but it remains to be seen if Schweinsteiger will be forced to lower his expectations.
Another player whose future is destined to be away from Old Trafford is Adnan Januzaj, who the club are trying to loan out, although they will accept any permanent offers at the right price, believed to be about £20 million. He has now, however, taken the unprecedented step of refusing to change in the under 21’s side’s changing rooms having been demoted by Mourinho, claim the Mirror.
With 63 first team appearances to his name, Januzaj feels that he has been treated with a lack of respect by Mourinho and other clubs bosses and has now taken to arriving at training already dressed in full training kit or changing in toilet cubicles at Carrington. Januzaj is furious at how he has been treated following criticism of his attitude and is now trying to force the club to allow him to leave permanently and at a lower price, with a reunion with David Moyes at Sunderland a possibility.
One player seemingly not going anywhere is Marcos Rojo, who the Daily Record report has turned down a move to work with Sven Goran Eriksson at Shanghai SIPG in China. From the start of Jose Mourinho’s time in charge, the Argentinean defender has been informed that he is free to leave, with an asking price as low as £10 million, but there has been no progress so far.
Rojo favours a move to Spain if rumours are to be believed, but following interest from Villarreal, there has been little movement since. That means that the versatile left sided defender may remain at Old Trafford until January, against the wishes of his new boss, with very little game time likely.
Featured Image: All rights reserved by Craig Ballantyne.