Juve's Paul Pogba sets sights on Barça move as talks progress
For the first time in recent months, Barcelona now have concrete reasons to believe they could sign Paul Pogba from Juventus. Contact with the player's agent, Mino Raiola, has been positive and the French midfielder's priority is to sign for Barça.
Both Pogba and Raiola see Barça as the best option for the player when he leaves Juve, and they hope the Catalan club will make enough effort to reach an agreement with the Italian champions. Talks are continuing, but Pogba doesn't want to give a definitive answer until after the Champions League final in Berlin.
Everything will become clear in the middle of June, or perhaps a little later, such as the beginning of July. And Barça and Manchester City look like being the two finalists in the battle for the summer's most wanted star.
Things have not been easy, with Barça not deciding to play all their cards until the last month. There was a meeting with Raiola around four weeks ago. It was a meeting arranged by Ariedo Braida, who is currently loosely filling the role vacated by Andoni Zubizarreta.
There was a good feeling between both parties, but Raiola asked for an official move, rather than just talks with Braida. And that has now happened.
Barça have taken a step forward, speaking with both Juve and Pogba. They now know the numbers of the operation will cost a lot, but the deal is possible and they are ready to close an agreement. Juve don't want to sell this summer for less than 80 million euros, although everything will be easier if the operation is closed for June 2016.
That could suit Barça, with FIFA's ban currently preventing them from making signings this summer.
Pogba isn't certain he's ready to leave Juventus this summer either and is still thinking about his destination. He's clear that his dream is to play for a winning team and that, as of today, is why he wants to sign for Barça.
He wants to play alongside Messi and also be a key man in the future of the club. For that reason, he's not sure about Manchester City. The English club have shown they are ready to break the bank to sign him with an offer of 100 million euros and a hige salary.
Nobody can compete with those figures, but the player's agent has asked for Barça to make an effort. They would be ready to spend to see Pogba dressed in azulgrana, convinced that he fits perfectly into the club's current style and system.
One of they keys will be the Champions League final. If Barça beat Juve, Pogba will be desperate to sign. The only doubt would be that they can't sign him this summer. He could wait at Juve for a year, which, as stated, he wouldn't necessarily mind, but Raiola thinks the moment has come to move on.
However, that could all be resolved if Juve gave him a new contract with more money ahead of a transfer next year.
Without doubt, it is a complicated operation and could be one of the most expensive in Barça's history, but they look keen to push through with it. Pogba is very close to the Catalan club right now.
