According to reports from London Evening Standard this morning, Chelsea believe Juventus are ready to sell in-demand midfielder Paul Pogba, with the two clubs ‘in talks’ over a £70million deal.
Despite managing just three Premier League appearances in three years for Manchester United, Pogba has emerged as one of world football’s leading centre-mids since swapping Old Trafford for the Old Lady in summer 2012; going on to win three consecutive Serie A titles, claim the 2013 Golden Boy award, feature in the 2015 Champions League final and pick up 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 linked to his signature earlier this summer – including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester City.
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Roman Abramovich has set aside a budget specifically to sign the 6 foot 2 midfielder following the stuttered start to Chelsea’s Premier League title defence and reports on Tuesday indicated that he’s now the west London outfit’s priority target in the final week of the transfer window, with a £70million bid in the offing.
And according to The Evening Standard, Blues director Marina Granovskaia – the club’s leading transfer chief – is confident that Juve are willing to sell this summer rather than wait until next year when transfer-embargoed Barcelona will likely come knocking for the prodigious Frenchman.
The sheer fact the Serie A champions are still entertaining negotiations at this late stage of the window gives them great hope, whilst Juan Cuadrado’s loan move to Turin – confirmed yesterday – has proved both clubs are capable of doing business with each other.
Should Chelsea’s £70million bid be accepted, Pogba will become the most expensive player in Premier League history.
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