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Gossip: Pogba 'demands £200k-a-week pay rise' to stay at Man United & sends 'secret message' to Woodward

Paul Pogba has reportedly asked to leave Manchester United.
Paul Pogba has reportedly asked to leave Manchester United.

Would you rather play for the world’s grumpiest manager or the world’s most glamorous club? This is the question Paul Pogba has asked himself this week (in French) and the answer has been unequivocal. Glam trumps grump every time.

The Mail reports that the Manchester United midfielder has told teammates he is now “desperate” to leave the club and has already “agreed terms” with Barcelona on a big-money move to the Nou Camp.

Pogba is said to have accepted a £350,000-a-week salary offer from the Catalan giants, which is almost double what he currently earns at Old Trafford, and has sent a text to United’s chief executive Ed Woodward saying, “Hi Ed. Can I go to Barcelona please?”

But herein lies the problem for the World Cup-winning Frenchman. United have no intention of selling him, especially not the day before the end of the Premier League transfer window, and he can’t really make them do it.

Therefore an alternative option, suggested by the Sun, is that Pogba merely engineers the situation to get a gargantuan pay rise.


The tabloid says the 25-year-old has told Woodward that, if he has to stay at United, he would like a £200,000-a-week wage hike for his troubles.

READ MORE: Man Utd to Barcelona – Star man Pogba is not for sale

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That would put him on a par with the club’s current top earner Alexis Sanchez, although he’d still have to work under the world’s grumpiest manager every day. Is it worth it?

Man Utd could still sign Harry Maguire

In more encouraging Man Utd news, the Mirror says the Red Devils have been given “fresh hope” in their pursuit of Leicester City centre-back Harry Maguire, because the Foxes already appear to be replacing him.

City manager Claude Puel is apparently close agreeing deals with two new centre-backs. Croatia Under-21 international Filip Benkovic has had a medical ahead of a £13.5m move from Dinamo Zagreb, while Freiburg’s Turkish prospect Caglar Soyuncu is “on the verge” of signing for £22.5m including add-ons.

This would theoretically give United a free run at making a £65m offer for Maguire before tomorrow’s deadline.

Meanwhile, Tottenham have stepped up their pursuit of Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish by making a £25m bid for the 22-year-old Englishman.

READ MORE: Premier League 2018-19 – Failed title defences

Tottenham are yet to reach an agreement for Jack Grealish as deadline looms
Tottenham are yet to reach an agreement for Jack Grealish as deadline looms

The Telegraph says Spurs are “awaiting a response” from the Championship side, who were resigned to selling Grealish earlier in the summer but since been taken over and now have the financial wherewithal to keep him.

Elsewhere, Everton are confident of signing Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma on loan before Thursday’s 5pm deadline (Mirror), Watford have made a £10m offer to sign Southampton and England midfielder James Ward-Prowse (Sun) and Brighton’s new South African striker Percy Tau, 24, is set to be loaned out to Belgian second tier outfit Royale Union Saint-Gilloise for the season (The Argus). There is no other reason to include the latter story than to give you the ultimate niche piece of transfer gossip to impress your friends with on deadline day.