Man Utd admit defeat after Glazer family’s stance on losing key figure surfaces
Man Utd are ‘prepared to lose’ a key figure and are ‘accepting’ of the fact ties will be severed after the stance of the Glazer family was revealed, according to a report.
Manchester United are in a period of turmoil that few would have predicted at the start of the season. Following their shock 5-0 defeat to bitter rivals Liverpool, pressure has ramped up on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
For the time being at least, the Norwegian appears safe in his role. Solskjaer still has backers at the club, including Ed Woodward and Richard Arnold.
Additionally, the Manchester Evening News claimed on Thursday that Cristiano Ronaldo is actively getting behind his under-fire boss.
Another senior star who supported Solskjaer – albeit indirectly – was Paul Pogba.
The Sun reported Pogba had snubbed his manager in the aftermath of their defeat to Liverpool. However, Pogba took to social media to brandish the newspapers claims as “big lies”.
Also in the Sun article were claims Pogba had broken off talks over a new contract. The Frenchman, 28, is in the final year of his deal at Old Trafford.
But despite Pogba’s protestation, ESPN have reported Pogba will indeed be departing.
They state Man Utd are ‘prepared to lose Pogba for free next summer’. That comes from their realisation that a new contract is highly unlikely to be signed.
Despite his undoubted talents, United are noted to have ‘no alarm or concern’ over the idea of Pogba leaving for free. That’s despite costing £89.1m to re-sign from Juventus in 2016.
PSG, Juventus and Real Madrid have all been touted as interested parties for his signature. However, all are content to run the gauntlet and compete for a free agent swoop next summer, rather than sanction a January transfer.
Man Utd’s apparent happiness with the situation comes straight from the top.
ESPN claim the controlling Glazer family are ‘relaxed’ about the prospect of missing out on recouping a transfer fee. In their eyes, they believe getting another six months out of Pogba on the pitch is of greater importance.
As such, ‘plans are already being made to strengthen the midfield without him next summer.’
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Meanwhile, The Express, citing reports in Italy, claim that Juventus are in direct contact with the Frenchman’s representative. That man is super agent Mino Raiola, who also works with Erling Haaland and Matthijs de Ligt.
He is notorious for brokering huge transfers and picking up a vast amount of money in the process.
Raiola has reportedly penned in talks with Juventus for November. He will discuss three clients with the Bianconeri – Pogba, Juve star Federico Bernardeschi and AC Milan skipper Alessio Romagnoli.
The priority for the meeting will reportedly be to find out whether Pogba will in fact leave Man Utd. If the answer they reach is yes, Pogba could wind up back in Turin for a second time.
READ MORE: ‘Confirmed’ deal dampens Tottenham transfer dream, puts wrinkle in Antonio Conte to Man Utd strand
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