Report: United in Pogba talks for record-breaking transfer fee
Manchester United is in talks with Paul Pogba's representatives for a transfer that would set a new record for transfer fees, according to The Telegraph's James Ducker.
The midfielder is currently away at Euro 2016 with France, but discussions between his current club Juventus, agent Mino Raiola, and former employer United are apparently well underway.
There were some reservations from Old Trafford on whether the side would be able to broker the return of Pogba given his acrimonious exit in 2012, but certain aspects appear to have swung things in Manchester United's favour.
Firstly, new manager Jose Mourinho has had plenty of correspondence with Pogba's representative, based on the reported negotiations with some of his other clients - namely Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan - regarding moves to Stretford.
Another factor is Mourinho himself. Pogba left last time disenchanted with a lack of first-team opportunities under then-manager Alex Ferguson, but under the Portuguese, the club will look very different from four years ago.
Furthermore, Manchester City retracted its interest in the 23-year-old due to the exorbitant fee that signing him would incur. Through the signing of Ilkay Gundogan earlier in June, the Eastlands outfit has already made strides to bolster the midfield.
There's inevitably going to be competition for Pogba, however, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain all apparently interested in his signature. Reports suggest Juventus wants to spark a bidding war between several parties to ensure a monstrous sum.
After he didn't transfer amid widespread rumours last summer, it's widely predicted this will be the offseason when Pogba seeks pastures new. But that's not the case in the eyes of Paulo Dybala, a fellow representative of the Old Lady, who has backed Pogba to stay in Turin.
The Mourinho era at United is already underway with defender Eric Bailly joining from Villarreal for a reported £30 million, but supporters expect further investment following the unpopular tenure of Louis van Gaal.