Top five clubs which could be the next destination for Paul Pogba

The Frenchman is in the last year of his contract at Manchester United.

Into his sixth season at Manchester United after his record transfer, one might be argued that Paul Pogba has still not found his feet at the club. The club were keen to build a squad around the Frenchman, but Pogba has been hit and miss at best.

As the winter transfer window looms closer, it will the final chance for Manchester United to cash in on him. The midfielder is in the last year of his contract with the club and a number top European outfits are monitoring his situation closely. His agent Mino Raiola has reportedly claimed that Pogba will be leaving the club on a free when his contract expires next summer. There would certainly be a host of clubs in talks with Raiola, with exclusive offers for his client.

At 28, in the peak of his career, Paul Pogba is looking for a new challenge. The Frenchman is certainly not living up to his hefty price tag at United. However, the FIFA World Cup winner remains one of the best midfielders around and his qualities cannot be overlooked.

Here are five clubs which could turn into the next destination for Paul Pogba:

5. Manchester City

It would be a blockbuster move if Pogba follows in the footsteps of Carlos Tevez and joins cross-town rivals Manchester City. With City's deep pockets, this move is certainly not out of question. Pep Guardiola once claimed that Manchester City were offered the chance to sign Paul Pogba in 2018 by his agent Raiola. Pep himself is a huge admirer of the French midfielder. After the Manchester Derby of 2019, Guardiola was seen embracing and praising the France international for his match-winning performance.

Pogba could form a devastating midfield trio with Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri at Manchester City, if a move materializes. With City's philosophy of playing attacking football, he will fit right in at the club. His physical prowess, along with his ability to dribble past players and engineer passes to unlock the opposition defence, could bolster City's already world-class midfield.

With Man City ever so desperate to win the UEFA Champions League, Pogba's addition will surely boost their chances of conquering Europe.

4. FC Barcelona

The La Liga giants are in a rut at this moment. Their struggles on the pitch and financial woes are slowly sinking the club. With a stellar figure such as Lionel Messi joining PSG and legends like Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets nearing retirement, they are in need of a leader to steady the ship. Barcelona's net spend in the past windows has been ridiculous. Yet, they have not been able to replace legends like Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

Paul Pogba being available on a free in the summer would surely tempt the Catalans to make a move. Barcelona's current squad boasts a host of young and exciting talents like Pedri, Ansu Fati, Gavi and others. The signing of the Frenchman will surely bolster the youngsters. The trio will certainly learn a lot playing alongside Pogba.

Should Xavi return to the Camp Nou, we might see the return of the traditional 4-3-3, with Frenkie de Jong dropping deep to link the defence and midfield and Pogba pushing up. The duo could fit in very well alongside a busy ball-winning type of player.

Given Pogba's leadership qualities and his presence in the dressing room, he will be the idle candidate to lead the Blaugrana out of their misery.

3. Juventus

A move back to his former club where he won much silverware will surely tempt Paul Pogba. Playing alongside the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal brought the best out of the midfielder. Pogba was touted to become one of the best midfielders of his generation during his time in Turin. However, since his record transfer move to his boyhood club, things have gone south.

Massimiliano Allegri returning to the Old Lady for his second spell could well see Pogba return to his former club. He flourished under the guidance of Allegri and would fit in perfectly under his wing once again. Pogba prefers to play on the left-hand side of the midfield and has made it clear time and again. Under the Italian, the Frenchman will have the freedom to influence play from the middle of the park. He will be at the heart of every move going forward.

2. Real Madrid

The midfielder could finally complete his dream move to Real Madrid next summer. The La Liga giants have publicly expressed their interest in the French international many times. With Manchester United refusing to sell Pogba in the past windows, Real Madrid will finally have the chance to sign their target in the next summer for free. The deal is definitely worth the wait.

Under Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid mostly play a traditional 4-3-3 formation. With Casemiro being the anchorman, the left-sided central midfielder is expected to get forward and support attacks involving the left winger, with Karim Benzema moving across too. Infact, Federico Valverde, who plays in this position at the moment, has exactly the sort of forward movement and range of passing that Pogba would bring. However, Los Blancos would surely not want to miss out on the prime years of Paul Pogba's career.

Any move will make tactical as well as commercial sense and with both Luka Modric and Toni Kross on the wrong side of 30, securing an elite midfield replacement, who is only 28, would make a lot of sense.

1. Paris Saint-Germain

A move to his homeland, where he is loved and respected, is definitely on the cards for Paul Pogba. The Parisians are famous for luring world-class players to the club, given their financial dominance. They are keen to link up Pogba with the likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Messi. Seemingly, Pogba will be tempted to move to the French capital given the quality of the squad at their disposal.

Leandro Paredes plays as the deep playmaker for the Ligue 1 giants, flanked by Marco Verratti, Idrissa Gueye and Ander Herrera, who are first and foremost pressers and ball-winners. PSG like to create a 2-3-5 shape in attack with width offered by the full backs. However, it is possible to thwart this with a mirroring 5-3-2 formation. Pogba, with his midfield presence and tendency to attract defenders, would offer something that PSG occasionally miss.

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