Paul Pogba is set to leave Manchester United on a free transfer for the second time in his career. In 2012, he left the club seemingly because no one believed he would be a very good player. 10 years later, he leaves the club for myriad other reasons, but with more baggage, as he did arrive for €105 million in 2016.
Now, after the roller-coaster ride he endured in England, he might be on his way back to Juventus, who are reportedly very interested in him. On that note, here are three reasons why Juventus must reunite with Paul Pogba after his Manchester United exit.
Why Juventus must get Paul Pogba back
3. Finishing touches on their midfield rebuild
A couple of years back, the midfield of Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba, and Claudio Marchisio dominated Italian and, to an extent, European football. While no European silverware was brought to Turin, it was a great time to tune into Juve games.
After a period where there were no replacements for these guys, it seems like Juventus have gotten some great midfielders together. There is some young talent, like Wenston McKennie, but also some proven guys like Denis Zakaria, Manuel Locatelli, and when he is fit and ready to play, Arthur Melo. They still need some experience, and there is no better option on the market than Paul Pogba.
Now, there could be some reservations for Pogba. He earned a huge salary as part of Manchester United's roster, he was not always fit, and it seems like he is disinterested in football, ever since he had a massive falling out with manager Jose Mourinho.
Yet, on a free transfer for limited wages, Pogba could be the finishing touch in their full midfield rebuild. Just like Pirlo was the veteran of the aforementioned trio, Pogba could play that role, in terms of experience, for the young duo of Zakaria and Locatelli. Also, with Dybala gone, he could be the creative spark that this midfield needs, together with the hopefully fit Federico Chiesa.
2. It would be the ideal place for Pogba to revive his career
It is strange to think about it, but Paul Pogba is in a similar position as he was 10 years ago. When he was originally leaving Manchester United, it was to get playing time and figure out how to carve out his football career and really save it from rotting on the Manchester United bench. He then chose Juventus, hoping that Juve, at that time coming off of an undefeated season in Serie A, would give him the space he needed.
Just a few years later, Pogba was regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world and was highly sought after, not only by Manchester United, but by every big club in the world. While he is not young anymore, it is a similar situation now.
Pogba mostly rode the bench for Manchester United in his last season, playing very limited minutes. He is in dire need to restart and revamp his career, so going where it is familiar is likely going to be the best option. Juventus did not win the Scudetto last season, but with Pogba in the midfield, playing even a fraction of what he looked like when he last left Italy, the Old Lady might be back in title contention next year.
Of course, it will take some time for the French player to find his footing again, as effectively he has not been playing for the last few seasons. But he should be back to his best in no time.
1. It is a great marketing move
In a world football scene that is dominated by marketing, sadly, this aspect also needs to be considered. When they lost Ronaldo last summer out, Juventus lost a ton of their commercial appeal. In the bluntest terms possible, no one on their squad was really charismatic enough to carry that mantle for the club.
However, Paul Pogba is still a marketing goldmine, even though he does not play much. Obviously, it was his play that got him to the level he was at his peak, but it is tough to lose marketing appeal over time unless something really bad happens. Thus, Pogba could single-handedly bring up revenue for Juventus.
As said above, this is not an aspect of football we would love to include, but it is just a major factor. Juventus, as a massive team in terms of the size of the club and their global reach, somewhat struggles to fund huge moves. It is true they spent around €80 million on Dusan Vlahovic and €100 million on Cristiano Ronaldo, but they do not have the cash to fight with clubs like PSG or Manchester City.
Thus, bringing in a Paul Pogba could financially ease the process of the rebuild for the club and make sure they are financially healthy going forward.
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