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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to Italian publication Tuttosport (via The Daily Mail), Juventus are preparing to swoop for Paul Pogba in the January transfer window.
What’s the word?
The France World Cup winner was the subject of intense transfer speculation over the course of the summer, with both Juventus and Real Madrid being regarded as the two front-runners for his signature.
However, a move failed to materialise before the end of deadline day, and Pogba has thus had to stay put at Old Trafford. Tuttosport now claim the 26-year-old is desperate to leave United, and is intent on securing a move away in the upcoming January transfer window.
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The report adds the Bianconeri are primed to take advantage of the situation surrounding the Frenchman, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is currently reluctant to let him go without first signing a replacement.
White flag
If selling Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez without buying someone as cover wasn’t a form of surrender, then doing the same with Pogba would be absolutely that. The Red Devils are in no state to let another high-profile player go, such is the wafer-thin nature of their current squad.
Despite only picking up two assists in his five appearances across all competitions this season, the midfielder is still a major upgrade on United’s other options in the position. His attacking forays and ability to pick a pass marks him out as a completely different proposition than what Solskjaer’s side currently possess.
Pogba has averaged 2.8 key passes per game this season in the Premier League, whilst his central midfield competitors, Nemanja Matic (n/a), Fred (1), and Scott McTominay (0.7), all average considerably less. When he’s fully-fit and on the pitch, the former Juventus star remains an important part of the way United play.
Getting rid of him in January, when the Red Devils will find it difficult to source their first-choice replacement, would be tantamount to a gross case of negligence.