Mino Raiola Hits Out
The Paul Pogba circus continues at Manchester United with unnecessary comments from his agent Mino Raiola again causing controversy. The unhelpful comments from Riaola has cast doubt on his long term future at Old Trafford. On the eve of Manchester United’s biggest game of the season away to R.B Leipzig in the Champions League, the preparation for the match became disrupted by Raiola’s unhelpful comments. He claimed Paul Pogba is unhappy at Manchester United and “needs to change team”. The French man will not sign a new deal with United and wants to leave in the January transfer window. Mino Raiola’s interview with Italian outlet Tuttosport was released on Monday evening. Whilst Pogba and the rest of the Manchester United squad travelled to Germany for Tuesday’s important fixture against R.B Leipzig.
The attention unnecessarily turned to Pogba’s future on the eve of the Tuesday’s game which was not helpful for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his United side. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decided to start with his preferred midfield of Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic. Paul Pogba came off the bench in Germany on the 60th minute with United trailing 2-0. The World Cup winner played well and inspired United to an unlikely comeback when his header from the corner brought them back into the game to make it 3-2 with ten minutes remaining. However, R.B Leipzig held on for a famous win over Manchester United eliminating them from this seasons Champions League.
Potential Swap Deal
Respected Italian sport journalist Tancredi Palmeri has reported that Juventus are interested in a potential swap deal. The swap deal involving Paulo Dybala for want away Manchester United star Paul Pogba. The World Cup-winning France international has been keen on a return to his former club Juventus. Meanwhile, Real Madrid are long term admirers of his. The French man is in the last 18 months of his contract which expires in the summer of 2022. He has made it clear for some time during his four years at Old Trafford that he wants another challenge.
Real Madrid manager Zidane wants Pogba to be catalyst to build his next Madrid team around. It is unlikely to happen due to financial restraints Madrid are currently undergoing due to Covid-19. This would likely mean Real Madrid would not be in a financial position to attain Paul Pogba from Manchester United. United would be looking for a reasonable return on their 2016 world record £89m fee. The only likely destination for the United star is a return to Turin where he spent four successful years.
Dybala’s Juventus Situation
Biaconeri manager Andrea Pirlo is keen to strengthen his midfield options in January. This is despite Juventus boasting one of the best midfields in Europe. Pirlo played alongside Pogba during the final years of his playing career and the Italian sees the Manchester United star as the perfect addition to his side as they look to finally win the long illusive Champions League. This has opened an interesting opportunity for Manchester United to potentially acquire Argentinian Paulo Dybala in a swap deal. Juventus are looking to resign Pogba without paying a substantial transfer fee in January. They hope to tempt the Red Devils with the avaiabilty of the services of Paulo Dybala. The Argentine has attracted lots of attention from a number of clubs regarding a transfer since Andrea Pirlo’s appointment.
The Argentine has had a wonderful career in Serie A and is adored by the Juventus fans. However, he has struggled to achieve consistent appearances under new manager Andrea Pirlo this season. Ronaldo, Morata and Kulusevski are all ahead of him in the pecking order at Juventus. The move to United could be exactly what he needs due to his lack of opportunities at Juventus. The transfer to Manchester United would allow Dybala an opportunity to showcase his talents in the Premier League. However, Dybala may have already missed his chance to move to Old Trafford after declining the chance to sign in 2019, when Juventus offered him as part of a Romelu Lukaku swap deal.
Player Profile
Dybala is regarded as one of the best attacking players in European football. He is a player that would add instant quality to every club in Europe. He has spent six seasons at Juventus winning five Serie A titles, three Coppa Italia titles since he arrived in 2015. The talented Argentinian has scored an impressive 96 goals in 238 appearances for the Bianconeri since arriving at the club from Palermo in 2015. A versatile forward who is capable of playing in a variety of attacking roles such as main striker, centre forward and an attacking midfielder.
Dybala’s versatility to Juventus has been evident over the years with him playing multiple positions. Dybala can play in a variety of different systems due to his versatility in a number of positions. He is excellent in a number of systems due to his high work rate, ability to press and proficiency in possession.
The Bianconeri Attacking Options
Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival to Juventus in the summer of 2018 changed everything for Dybala at the club. He has struggled with not being the main man at the club and one of the key fulcrums of the team. He has also had to play out of position since Ronaldo’s arrival which has resulted in fewer appearances, a loss of form and lack of goals. Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo has an embarrassment of riches in attack with the summer additions of Alvaro Morata, Dejan Kulusevski and Federico Chiesa now ahead of “La Joya” in the pecking order. Dybala’s contract is due to expire in summer 2022 so a transfer to Manchester United remains a likely possibility. A potential January transfer window move involving Paul Pogba might make sense for all parties involved.
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