According to reports from Goal.com this afternoon, Juventus have rejected an €80million bid from Barcelona for star midfielder Paul Pogba.
The former Manchester United youngster has emerged as one of the top central midfielders in world football since swapping Old Trafford for the Old Lady in summer 2012, going on to win three consecutive Serie A titles and claim 23 caps for the France national team.
The 22 year-old is also one of world football’s most wanted, with no less than seven top European clubs believed to be courting his signature this summer, not least including Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and PSG.
In June came rumours that Pogba would snub interest from the Premier League and yonder to secure a big money move to the Nou Camp and the European champions have now launched an opening bid.
Barcelona directors Ariedo Braida and Alberto Soler flew to Turin on Wednesday to hold talks with Juve’s director general Giuseppe Marotta, in which they revealed their €80million offer.
Juventus, however, have flatly rejected it and hope to keep the Frenchman for at least another season, having already parted with two key players this summer in Carlos Tevez and Andrea Pirlo, joining Boca Juniors and New York City FC respectively.
“Barcelona offered us €80m for Pogba but we don’t want to sell him,” Marotta has since told Gazzetta dello Sport.