Paul Pogba has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford this summer, with reports suggesting agent Mino Raiola has even offered the player to arch-rivals Liverpool. With Pogba in the final year of his Manchester United contract, the club may be willing to let him leave this summer to recoup some of the £89million they paid Juventus to land the midfielder in 2016.
But a move to Liverpool would likely cause a huge storm in the north west and the United hierarchy will do all they can to ensure it doesn’t happen.
Such is the rivalry between two of the country’s biggest clubs that no player has made the move directly from one to the other for nearly 60 years.
It was back in April 1964 when United forward Phil Chisnall made the move to Anfield for a fee of £25,000.
Chisnall had come through the youth ranks at Man Utd and scored 10 goals in 47 first-team games between 1961 and 1964.
The player made his Liverpool debut four months after joining the club in a Charity Shield match and notched his first goal in a European Cup victory at KR Reykjavik.
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But one player who wanted to cross the divide was United’s Argentina international Gabriel Heinze back in 2007 when Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge.
The defender had become unhappy at losing his left-back spot to Patrice Evra and wanted to force a move to Anfield with Liverpool admirers of the Argentine.
“Gabriel was told, with no ambiguity, that historically Manchester United do not sell players to Liverpool, and vice versa,” Ferguson later said.
Heinz eventually moved to Real Madrid but expressed his regret for the incident.
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has apparently been offered to Liverpool (Image: GETTY)
“I was aware of the rivalry [with Liverpool]. I knew the risk of going from Manchester to Liverpool and what it means,” Heinze later admitted.
“I hope it doesn’t tarnish the way they [the supporters] see me and they will remember the three years I had in the team.
“I spent three years in Manchester and had some great moments.”
And given business between United and Liverpool is so rare, the likelihood of Pogba actually crossing the divide is close to impossible.
Despite the rumours, neither party is likely to even entertain the idea. Who knows when the next time a United player joins Liverpool or vice versa will be, but it won't be any time soon.