Recent reports claimed Paul Pogba was close to moving across town to join Manchester City when his contract with United expires at the end of the season, but now, according to The Athletic, the midfielder has turned the offer down.
With 37-year-old Fernandinho set to leave the Etihad, City boss Pep Guardiola is believed to be on the lookout for experienced midfield reinforcements this summer. Pogba on a free transfer from United was considered a genuine option, and he himself was initially open to the idea, despite the local rivalry between the two clubs. However, the France international has decided against that particular move, apparently favouring another, unnamed option, as his destination.
Pogba joined United from Juventus in 2016 for a reported fee exceeding €100 million, returning to the club which he had left four years earlier as a member of their Under-23 side. It was a big price for United to take back a player they once believed had no future at Old Trafford, and the transfer proved questionable overall, given that Pogba failed to meet the expectations of inspiring United’s return to the top of English and European football.
Six years later, in which he’s made a total of 233 appearances in all competitions, scored 39 goals and produced 51 assists, he’s about to leave the club as a free agent once again. The 29-year-old is currently out of action with a calf injury, and it could be that he’s already played his last match in a United shirt.
Speculations suggest Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid as the likeliest clubs for him to join, while David Orstein of The Athletic says a decision is yet to be made.
