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Paul Pogba to Juventus: Serie A giants 'counting days' until Manchester United transfer
PAUL POGBA ‘cannot wait to leave’ Manchester United and will hope to exit the club in January, according to reports.
Manchester United midfielder Pogba is at odds with manager Jose Mourinho.
The pair’s feud, which started last season, has rumbled on into the new campaign and saw Pogba stripped of the United vice-captaincy this week.
The midfielder was rested for United’s Carabao Cup defeat on penalties to Derby last night, after which Mourinho confirmed Pogba has lost the leadership role.
United’s board are understood to be keen on keeping Pogba at the club after spending £89m on him just two years ago.
But Italian newspaper Tuttosport claim the Frenchman wants out - and could angle for a move back to his former club Juventus.
According to the report, Pogba would happily pack his bags and exit Manchester United today if he were given the opportunity.
The 25-year-old has endured a mixed start to the new campaign and criticised his side after their 1-1 draw with Watford over the weekend.
Tuttosport claim Pogba ‘cannot wait’ to leave and that Mourinho is in a position of strength if it came to the board deciding which man to axe.
They report that Juventus would willingly take Pogba back, having first snapped up the Frenchman when he left United as a 19-year-old.
Juve are even said to be ‘counting days’ until the January transfer window opens - 97 days from now.
However, Barcelona are also on the player’s case and have already had one summer bid rejected by United.
It is claimed PSG are a third club capable of signing Pogba and would be interested in doing so if he became available.
Bolo Zenden
The French club are keen to bolster their side following France’s World Cup triumph, with Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante also on their radar.
Meanwhile, former Chelsea and Liverpool star Bolo Zenden has echoed Tuttosport’s claims, suggesting Mourinho would win in a battle with Paul Pogba over supremacy at United.
“It’s difficult for me to comment on what he should do,” Zenden said this morning on talkSPORT.
“If there’s a price tag on him Mourinho has to make a choice, saying ‘we can’t have this in the squad’.
“The club has to take the loss and reinvest it in other players.
“If the board doesn’t back up Mourinho we all know where that’s going to go in the end.”
And the controversy continued this afternoon after Pogba and Mourinho were embroiled in what seemed to be a brief spat at training.
Pogba was filmed joining his team-mates but turned to give Mourinho a death stare after the manager said something off camera.