Pogba: The inside story

Manchester United have secured the world record transfer of Paul Pogba, but Sky sources understand their pursuit of the midfielder goes back three years…

Sky sources understand dialogue opened between Ed Woodward and the player’s agent Mino Raiola almost as soon as he became the executive vice chairman. Since those first discussions, United have kept close watch on a player they allowed to leave for just 1.5m euros, noting Pogba’s rapid progression over the past three seasons and making him a priority to sign this summer.

But this hasn’t been an easy deal to complete, few are when such huge fees are involved and while the scouting has been exhaustive, so too has the past two months of intense negotiations with Juventus and the player’s representatives. This arduous process has left the power-brokers at Old Trafford as relieved as much as delighted to have got this one over the line.

Raiola’s developed a reputation for hard bargaining and getting the best for his clients and after signing two of his players already this summer in Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, United knew that it was not going to be plain-sailing to get Pogba out of Italy and back to England.

United have paid more than any club has ever paid for a player, but the reality of putting such a deal together involved hours and hours of face to face discussions with Raiola and his …

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