Real Madrid were interested in Paul Pogba back when Zinedine Zidane was the head coach and have once again been linked with a move for the Frenchman.
His contract with Manchester United expires in June 2022 and there has been no indication whatsoever from either Paul Pogba or his agent, Mino Raiola, that the player is keen on extending his stay at Old Trafford. He has been tipped to make a move to Juventus, but Real Madrid and the Santiago Bernabeu remains a widely discussed option for him as well.
Why should Real Madrid not try to sign Paul Pogba?
However, Pogba is 28, and is not a very long-term option for Los Merengues to chase. One must also note that he may not have the longevity of Luka Modric, so to say, due to his scrutinized lifestyle off the pitch. Although the financial aspect is a thing to consider, his supposed lack of professionalism is in itself enough reason for Real Madrid to look past him for options.
Los Blancos however cannot make do without signing a central midfielder for much longer than another season. But at the same time, there are many better options for them to chase than the Manchester United superstar. Which are the three best options in such a case?
HOUSSEM AOUAR
Houssem Aouar has an uncanny resemblance to Paul Pogba’s style of play. He is currently on the books of Olympique Lyon and could well be on the move this summer. Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are all interested in him, whereas Real Madrid was discussed as a potential destination for him during the previous summer transfer window as well.
At 40 million euros, he will be the perfect signing for Los Blancos as everything points towards him being a success. The 23-year-old has had a couple of magnificent seasons with Lyon in France and has also been part of the national side on a few occasions. Perhaps the reason why he was left out of the Euro 2020 squad by Didier Deschamps is his identical style to that of Pogba.
Aouar is a brilliant midfielder, who contributes to good measure in either box. The Frenchman has an eye for goal as well and is great from long range. Not to mention, he also tends to ghost into the box late so as to remain unmarked and get on the end of the goods. Defensively, he is an option worth pursuing as well as he is great at tackling and positions himself well.
His price is a bonus and his age is another one. There is no reason why Real Madrid must not try to bring him in.
NICOLO BARELLA
Nicolo Barella has been a key performer for Italy in the European Championship as they are now finalists for the second time in three editions of the competition. The midfielder also had a terrific season under Antonio Conte at Inter Milan as the Nerazzurri won the Serie A for the first time in a decade, ending Juventus’ monopoly in the Italian top-flight.
Barella is another young and excellent option that would suit Real Madrid. One of his main and only drawbacks is his lack of defensive contribution, but that can be forgiven considering that Real Madrid do have a good crop of players who can contribute at the back. Moreover, Barella makes up for his lack of defensive skill by contributing more to the attack than an average central midfielder.
If one looks at the numbers, there will be little grace to see about Barella’s qualities, however, the work he does on the ball is absolutely fantastic. To put things into perspective, he scored just thrice in all competitions for Inter Milan last season, but still made 36 appearances for them in the middle of midfield at the ripe age of 24, ahead of several quality players at the San Siro.
Barella’s price may be the only figure that deters any suitor, Real Madrid included, as he seems happy at Inter Milan and has a contract that is valid for three more years, till 2024.
EDUARDO CAMAVINGA
Eduardo Camavinga is in his final year of contract at Rennes and has made no indication of wanting to renew his stay. As a matter of fact, he could be on the move very soon as Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with signing him. With that being said, Real Madrid must also push relentlessly to sign him in the ongoing transfer window itself.
Camavinga is worth just 30 million euros and that is a figure Real Madrid should comfortably afford- whether or not they look to sign Kylian Mbappe. Having said that, he is the youngest and best option to replace Pogba even in the French national side, so there is no reason why he would not be the perfect alternative to his compatriot at the Santiago Bernabeu.
He is an amazing player, who is blooming and making headlines at just 18 years of age. Camavinga already looks very mature on the ball and is a superb passer of it as well. He has an eye for goal and like most other brilliant central midfielders, his defensive contributions are worthy of praise. In all honesty, he could turn out to be a bigger bargain than Toni Kroos if Madrid sign him and use him to his strengths.
Which player would you go for out of these three? Let us know in the comments!