PSG to sell Neymar in January, Why Real Madrid couldn't sign Paul Pogba and more: Transfer Roundup, 11 September 2019
With so many rumours already doing rounds, it would be fair to say that the build-up to the winter transfer window has indeed begun. Without further ado, let's take a look at the top transfer news of the day which involves some of the biggest names in the footballing world including Leo Messi, Neymar and Paul Pogba among others.
Paris Saint-Germain will put Neymar for sale on January 1
After a drawn-out transfer saga that ended anti-climactically, it looks like Neymar and his exit rumours will continue to dominate tabloid pages even in the winter transfer window. Latest reports suggest that PSG director Leonardo wants Neymar to be put on the market from January 1- the date on which the winter transfer window opens.
Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus are reportedly interested in signing the Brazilian. However, Paris Saint-Germain are intent on recovering a major chunk of their initial investment in the Brazilian which stands at €222 million and that could be a major impediment for any team that's hoping to sign the Brazilian.
Leonardo recently told Tuttosport that the only reason why Neymar ended up staying at Paris Saint-Germain was that the club did not receive an acceptable offer from any of the parties interested.
"We're open to talking about players, but there was no agreement reached,"
"If someone wants to buy him then they can present an offer and we'll see if it satisfies all parties."
Neymar had reportedly told PSG that he wishes to leave and as such wasn't involved in their pre-season plans. There were several reports that also suggested that Neymar had given into Barcelona's demands and told PSG that he only wished to return to his former club and not join any other.
Barcelona's representatives were spotted in Paris on multiple occasions and they were expected to engineer a deal for Neymar. However, a lack of funds and PSG's reluctance to accept players in exchange became a major stumbling block and no move materialized despite the Barcelona fans waiting with bated breath on deadline day.
Florentino Perez reveals why Real Madrid couldn't sign Paul Pogba
It was being widely reported during the summer that Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane was desperate to bring Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba to the Santiago Bernabeu. However, the deal never worked out despite Pogba and Zidane airing their mutual admiration on more than one occasion.
There were also several reports that suggested that Zidane and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez were at loggerheads over who to sign. Perez reportedly wanted Christian Eriksen from Tottenham Hotspur while Zizou was insistent on getting Pogba.
However, neither deals worked out and both players ended up staying at their respective clubs. Now Perez has revealed that the only reason why Real Madrid did not sign Paul Pogba was that Manchester United were reluctant to sell him.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes in Pogba's ability and wants to build the team around him despite the Frenchman wanting to leave. Things could still change over the course of this season and Pogba could become a Real Madrid player next summer.