Manchester United ready to spend world-record fee on Paul Pogba with Juventus man in line to become first £100m player

Date Posted: 03/07/2016

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is a transfer target for Manchester United
Frenchman left Old Trafford for Serie A for free just four years ago
Now Red Devils are prepared to make him the most expensive player ever
United have told Juve that they are ready to spend big to land their man

Manchester United have moved a step closer to making Paul Pogba the first £100million footballer by telling his club Juventus they will pay a world-record transfer fee for the 23-year-old French superstar.

Four years after losing Pogba for nothing, United are prepared to break the bank to back their new manager Jose Mourinho, who will be unveiled in front of the world's media on Tuesday.

The Glazer family are desperate to restore United's reputation as the most popular club in Europe despite missing out on the Champions League for the second time in three years.

Manchester United have told Juventus they are willing to make Paul Pogba the most expensive footballer ever

Pogba is highly sought-after across Europe after a stand-out season playing for the Serie A champions

United want to back new manager Jose Mourinho in the transfer market during his first summer in the job

They have already signed legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain, and sanctioned £65m for Mourinho to sign defender Eric Bailly and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

But the promised eye-catching purchase will be Pogba, who will star in Sunday's final Euro 2016 quarter-final for hosts France against Iceland.

Juventus have demanded a nine-figure sum for their talisman which has scared off United's rivals Real Madrid, PSG and Manchester City.

But the Old Trafford club – who are less affected by financial fairplay rules because of their huge commercial revenues – are prepared to pay a price that will smash the £86m paid by Real Madrid for Gareth Bale in 2013, and hand Pogba £250,000 a week.

Pogba is currently in action at Euro 2016, where he and France are preparing for a quarter-final against Iceland

United have already added Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimovic to their ranks ahead of the new campaign

Pogba's father has stated that his son wants to play in a 'better league' than Serie A and agent Mino Raiola, who also represents Ibrahimovic, is trying to negotiate a deal.

'Paul has to grow. He's at Juve now, so any transfer must be run past Juventus,' Raiola said.

Meanwhile, Manchester City's new boss Pep Guardiola will address his club's fans for the first time at a special event on Sunday.

City hope to accelerate a £35m deal for Everton and England defender John Stones now that the Three Lions are out of Euro 2016. Stones will have to meet his club's new manager Ronald Koeman to discuss his future.