Reports: Juventus want to swap Paulo Dybala for Manchester United's Paul Pogba
As Paul Pogba grows closer to a seemingly inevitable Manchester United exit, his former club Juventus are reportedly trying to find a suitable deal to bring the Frenchman back to Turin.
According to Calciomercato, Juventus are looking to swap contract rebel Paulo Dybala for Pogba, as the Argentine forward doesn't seem to be part of Andrea Pirlo's plans going forward.
Pogba left the Italian champions in 2016 to re-join Manchester United, where he has had an underwhelming time. When the French midfielder arrived at Manchester United he was considered one of the best players on the planet, but he hasn't been able to produce world-class performances consistently enough.
That has led to Pogba being linked with a move away from Manchester United, with his agent even suggesting that the World Cup winner will look to part ways with the club very soon.
With Pogba's contract running only till 2022, Manchester United would be smart to take a deal with Juventus. The Red Devils know they wouldn't be able to gain a significant transfer fee for the midfielder given the financial difficulties most big clubs are facing due to the pandemic.
Dybala has reportedly rejected a move to Manchester United in the past, but he may not have a choice in the matter if Andrea Pirlo is insistent on bringing his former teammate back to Turin.
Juventus may not be able to lure Pogba from Manchester United in January
Despite the seemingly sound business sense behind this transfer, Paul Pogba is unlikely to move in the January window. Pogba's agent Mino Raiola recently said in an interview with Sky Sports:
"Pogba will have a great future. In England, they're very sensitive when you talk about Pogba... I’ve just expressed my thoughts. I’ve said that Paul can leave in the summer, it’s hard to do top deals in January."
Juventus may not have the resources to put together a suitable offer for Manchester United that would allow Pogba to leave in the middle of the season. As such, any Juventus deal for the Frenchman will have to wait till the summer.
Pogba has had a rough start to the season so far, putting in a series of underwhelming performances for United.
News of his rumored move away from the club broke just a few days before Manchester United's clash with RB Leipzig in the Champions League. United lost that game 3-2 and crashed out of the tournament, which led to many people blaming the timing of Raiola's interview on the squad morale.
Raiola, however, was smug in his response, as he spoke to Sky Sports.
"Pogba? I didn't talk about January, I expressed my opinion. I don't think I said a strange thing. In England everyone faints only because I said my opinion... let's leave Paul a little quiet. The new Pogba doesn't exist."
Juventus might well offer Pogba a way to gain back the form that once made him one of the most complete midfielders in the world. The Frenchman's move back to Turin looks more and more likely as we get closer to the middle of the sea