Manchester United are prepared to offer France midfielder Paul Pogba a new mega-money deal in a bid to persuade the unsettled player to stay.
Pogba talked about his intention to leave this summer window after conceding over the weekend that it ‘could be time for a new challenge’.
Real Madrid and Juventus have an interest in the Frenchman, but United are determined to keep him till next campaign unless they receive an offer well in excess of the £89million they paid to get him in 2016.
They are set to offer Pogba a pay rise that will up his current £290,000-a-week pay to nearer the £500,000 being picked up by United’s top earner Alexis Sanchez. Pogba has two years left on his contract, which United still have the option to extend by a year.
Real Madrid are believed to have made an opening bid of £90m but know that it will take much more than that to complete his signature.
Juventus also want to sign the 26-year-old, three years after his then world-record transfer from the Italian club, but it’s understood he would prefer a move to Spain.
Manchester United chief Ed Woodward is adamant a player who is key to the club’s commercial interests as he is not interested in selling Pogba after blocking his desired move to Barcelona last year.
Although he enjoys a better relationship with Pogba than Mourinho, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his No 2 Mike Phelan have a degree of sympathy with Mourinho after witnessing Pogba’s best and worst since returning to the club in December.
Coaching staff — one of whom said towards the end of the season that they ‘have a problem with Pogba almost every day’ — were far from happy when told he would be back next campaign.
Most team-mates would prefer him to stay at the club but recognise the negative influence such a big character has on the rest of the squad when he is unhappy.
