Gossip: Barcelona ‘not giving up’ on signing Pogba but new captain wants to “prove himself” at Old Trafford, Modric ‘snubs Inter for new contract’

Paul Pogba scored United’s first goal of the season at Old Trafford on Friday night

Let’s be frank, no one really cares about the transfer gossip today. It’s a day, praise the lord, when we can enjoy some actual football and be mercifully spared wondering which players our team will buy.

That’s only the case for English teams though. Over in Barcelona they still think they’re signing Paul Pogba.

Mundo Deportivo says the La Liga giants “do not believe the deal is dead” to bring the Manchester United midfielder to the Nou Camp, despite Jose Mourinho suddenly being surprisingly nice to the Frenchman by making him club captain.

READ MORE: Jose explains why he made Pogba captain

READ MORE: Man Utd open with win over Leicester City

READ MORE: United vetoed Mourinho’s transfer targets

The view in Catalonia is that Pogba is still unhappy playing for Mourinho and that the Special One will have to give him more than an armband to win him round – for instance some freshly baked cupcakes or a Mercedes.

Mourinho is unlikely to provide these things, so super agent Mino Raiola’s efforts to secure Pogba a move to Spain could allegedly still come to fruition.

However, this version of events contrasts with the claim made by French website RMC Sport that Pogba wants to stay at Old Trafford and “prove himself”.

Luka Modric to pen new Real Madrid contract

Another World Cup star who probably won’t be moving clubs before the end of the European transfer window is Luka Modric.

The Croatian had been heavily linked with Inter Milan but according to Spanish paper AS he has decided to stay with Real Madrid, where he will sigh a new contract that brings his salary level with club captain Sergio Ramos. So that all worked out quite nicely for him then.

Meanwhile, Jack Grealish will also get the consolation of a new contract to make up for the disappointment of not securing a transfer. The Sun says the Aston Villa midfielder, who was denied a move to Tottenham, will be handed an improved deal with a £30m buyout clause.

Elsewhere, Everton’s 20-year-old Croatia midfielder Nikola Vlasic is set to join CSKA Moscow on loan (Sport 24), Bordeaux, Rennes, Saint-Etienne and Girona are all interested in signing Manchester City winger Patrick Roberts on loan (Sun) and traumatised Burnley manager Sean Dyche says this summer’s transfer window was “the worst I have ever experienced” (Lancashire Telegraph). If you see the Ginger Guardiola around, give him a cuddle.