Manchester United completes world-record signing of Pogba for €105M
To see a list of completed deals in the summer window thus far, visit theScore's Premier League transfer tracker.
Step aside, Gareth Bale. There's a new claimant to the throne as football's most expensive player.
The summer's most protracted transfer saga finally reached its conclusion on Monday, as Manchester United confirmed the signing of superstar Paul Pogba from reigning Serie A champion Juventus.
The Old Lady announced the figures of the deal shortly after the signing was made official. United will pay a world-record €105-million fee over the next two years, with another €5 million payable if certain bonuses are achieved.
In the end, Juventus said it will receive €72.6 million of that total, minus "solidarity, subsidy, and auxiliary expenses." That seems to include agent Mino Raiola's commission, one of the main sticking points in the process of negotiations. Juventus had reportedly demanded United pay Raiola's cut.
No matter how it's sliced, though, the bill eclipses Bale's £85-million (€100-million) switch to Real Madrid in 2013.
Pogba's now put pen to paper on a five-year contract on a reported basic salary of £11 million per season. He also has an option to extend the deal by a further year.
"I am delighted to rejoin United. It has always been a club with a special place in my heart and I am really looking forward to working with (team manager) Jose Mourinho," Pogba said in a statement. "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Juventus and have some fantastic memories of a great club with players that I count as friends.
"But I feel the time is right to go back to Old Trafford. I always enjoyed playing in front of the fans and can't wait to make my contribution to the team. This is the right club for me to achieve everything I hope to in the game."
Related: Does signing Pogba make United the Premier League's best team?
The 23-year-old Frenchman, who left Manchester United in 2012 a lanky teenager oozing with potential, blossomed into one of the most dominant midfielders on the planet during his time in Italy.
Equal parts physical marvel and skillful technician, Pogba's move puts an exclamation point on United's transformative summer. The French stud joins fellow signings Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Eric Bailly, as Mourinho works to shift the balance of power in England back to Old Trafford.
Talk of United's interest began as the transfer window opened in June, but the exorbitant transfer fee put off even the likes of Madrid.
The rumours cooled as Pogba helped France reach the final of Euro 2016 - which Les Bleus ultimately lost to Portugal in extra time.
Related: Paul Pogba is now more expensive than all these things
Reports of a possible transfer then gained steam as he enjoyed his vacation in the U.S. He uploaded cryptic posts on Instagram as supporters of both clubs desperately sought confirmation of a move.
The moment of truth finally arrived Sunday, when United confirmed that Juventus had given its Premier League counterpart permission to conduct a medical with the player.
Driven in a snazzy Chevrolet - the car manufacturer that sponsors the Red Devils for a reported £47 million per season - Pogba arrived at United's Carrington training ground Monday to complete the check-up.
He passed that medical, and world football's most costly deal became a reality.
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