Why Real Madrid won’t pay 100 million euros for Paul Pogba

Manchester United center midfielder Paul Pogba can be one of the best overall players in the world in the right situation, but Real Madrid will be wary about spending money before they secure the services of Kylian Mbappe from PSG.

The mutual admiration between Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane and Manchester United star Paul Pogba is no secret, and it’s also understandable. Pogba is one of the most talented and well-rounded center attacking midfielders in the game, as he’s capable of fulfilling a number of roles in the middle of the park. But with his technical qualities and passing, Pogba is best in a more attacking role as a No. 8, even if he can hold his own as a miscast No. 6.

Pogba has been on Real Madrid’s radar for well over a year, and Zidane’s admiration of the France star is what keeps him on the club’s radar. Because otherwise, Real don’t actually have a need for Pogba. Fede Valverde has emerged as a breakout star in midfield in a box-to-box role, and if Real do want reinforcements, they can always sign Ajax’s young star Donny van de Beek.

According to a report from The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid have Pogba “on their radar”, and Juventus are, unsurprisingly, interested in a reunion with the superstar midfielder. But neither team is interested in paying up for Pogba, as Manchester United are holding firm with a 100 million euro asking price.

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Normally, Pogba would be worth at least this amount of money, but injuries and inconsistent form have reduced his value. And the form is entirely down to United, whose incompetence has been clear for all the world to see.

Pogba’s desire to leave United has always been speculated, and, now, Romano confirms that the player would like to leave in the summer.

United are in a state where they cannot afford to lose such a talented player without being significantly reimbursed on the transfer market, yet their own ineptitude has undermined their ability to sell Pogba at his worth.

And since Pogba is no longer a prospect at the age of 26, clubs like Juve and, especially, Real will be more wary about how they spend.

Real Madrid would benefit greatly from Paul Pogba. To say otherwise would be an insult to Pogba, who deserves the utmost praise. He was exceptional in France’s World Cup triumph as an unselfish leader who made smart passes and worked his behind off on defense to make everyone else look better.

His pinpoint passes, dribbling ability, and shots outside the box are impossible to ignore. At a club like Real, surrounded by great coaches and players, Pogba would reestablish himself as the best center midfielder in the game.

The problem is that Real have to be careful. Pogba would help them, but how much more would he help them than Kylian Mbappe? Real Madrid have far bigger holes at forward, whereas, in midfield, they still have world-class talent. Toni Kroos is having a great season, Valverde is about to be one of the best midfielders in the world and would probably be better than Pogba in three years, Martin Odegaard could return from loan, Luka Modric is still playing well, Isco has quality, James Rodriguez is a great attacking midfielder, and Eduardo Camavinga is on the radar as a possible high-priced defensive midfielder.

Real must be wise with their money. Pogba is a great player, but 100 million euros is an awful lot of cash to part ways with. Los Blancos prioritize younger signings at 60 million euros or younger, and they already spent nine figures on a superstar in their prime last summer in Eden Hazard. Everything else is being saved for Mbappe, so while Pogba is intriguing, Real will ultimately have to decline.