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With Manchester United confirming Paul Pogba is to leave the club as a free agent, six years on from his £89million return and a decade after his first departure, talk will inevitably turn to the midfielder’s next destination.
Could a return to Juventus – the club where he won four consecutive Serie A titles between 2012 and 2016 – reignite Pogba’s career, or would a move to newly crowned European champions Real Madrid hold greater appeal?
If not, could Pogba, who was born in a Paris suburb and enjoyed the greatest moment of his career when lifting the World Cup with France in 2018, join a host of other big names at Paris Saint-Germain?
Or could the 29-year old choose to make one of the most controversial moves in Premier League history by joining United’s cross-city rivals Manchester City?
As Pogba weighs up his next move, Stats Perform looks at four potential destinations for the enigmatic midfielder.
The return: Could Pogba refresh a flagging Juventus?
Juventus is the club that made Pogba’s career, with the midfielder making 178 appearances during a trophy-laden four-year spell under Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri, starring alongside the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio as the Bianconeri dominated Serie A.
With Allegri back at the helm and Juventus requiring fresh energy in midfield after consecutive fourth-placed finishes in Serie A, could Pogba be a key part of the Bianconeri rebuild? He’s certainly not shown an aversion to returning to former clubs in the past.
The European champions: Is Pogba the man to succeed Blancos legends?
Having won a record-extending 14th European title by beating Liverpool last week, Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid don’t appear to be in dire need of reinforcements.
However, the aging midfield trio of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and Casemiro cannot go on forever – Modric, along with team-mates Karim Benzema and Dani Carvajal, equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of five Champions League titles this term. With president Florentino Perez still smarting from Kylian Mbappe’s public rejection of Madrid, adding Pogba to Los Blanco’s stacked engine room could also fulfil his need for a marquee signing.
The homecoming: Will PSG’s new project appeal?
Mbappe’s decision to remain in the French capital was presented as a monumental coup for PSG, and given their penchant for adding star names, could a move for his France team-mate Pogba now make sense?
Pogba, who managed more Premier League assists (38) and chances created (231) than any other United player since re-joining in 2016, could be the man to add some creativity to a workmanlike midfield featuring the likes of Idrissa Gueye, Danilo Pereira, and Ander Herrera, as PSG look for the right combination to win their first European crown.
The controversial move: Could Pogba follow in Tevez’s footsteps?
Having already wrapped up the coveted signature of Erling Haaland, Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has confirmed the Premier League champions are targeting more incomings in the upcoming transfer window, while rumours linked Pogba with a stunning cross-city switch last month.
While Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher said City should not go “anywhere near” the Frenchman, Pogba would likely excel in Pep Guardiola’s technically gifted side. Replicate Carlos Tevez’s infamous move from red to blue? He couldn’t, could he?
