The club valued Pogba at £180m just underneath a year ago however would now be lucky to get half of that figure due to the financial crisis, MySportDab reports.
Ed Woodward’s admission that it would not be “business as usual” for Manchester United during the subsequent transfer window should come as little or no shock to anyone.
The club will find itself in a better position than most when the market reopens however the impact of Covid-19 on the global financial system is most likely going to have an impact on football’s finances.
Indeed, right now, it represents a outing into the unknown.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stated previously in the month that he hopes to “exploit” the transfer market to support his squad and financial specialists are of the opinion that United will be one of the few clubs in a position to spend.
However, certain offers are already being ruled out due to the biggest economic disaster the game has ever faced.
Tottenham striker Harry Kane was under consideration however senior figures at United had already abandoned the concept of signing the England captain before Woodward addressed the fans’ forum on Friday.
“Nobody have to be under any illusions about the scale of challenge going through everyone in soccer and it may additionally not be ‘business as usual’ for any clubs, including ourselves, in the transfer market this summer,” the executive vice-chairman said.
“As ever, our priority is the success of team, however we want visibility of the impact throughout the whole industry, consisting of timings of the transfer window, and the wider financial picture, before we can discuss about a return to normality.
“On this basis, I can’t help feeling that speculation around transfers of individual players for hundreds of millions of pounds this summer season seems to bypass the realities that face the sport.”
Those realities are unavoidable, even at United.
It’s now possible that the club will entertain thoughts that would in the past have been brushed aside out of hand.
Last summer, United valued Paul Pogba at £180 million ($224m).
However, with so much uncertainty now surrounding the market due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the World Cup winner would now be fortunate to fetch even half of of that figure.
Pogba’s current contract expires in 2021 however United have the choice to extend it for a further year.
They have but to do so, though, and the Covid-19 disaster leaves them with a trickier choice to make this summer than they were expecting.
Cash in now before Pogba’s cost falls even further? Or set off the extension and hope that prices return to something resembling their previous levels subsequent year?
Pogba has already made it clear he wishes a challenge away from United and his agent Mino Raiola has been doing his best to attempt and engineer a move for the 27-year-old France international.
So, does Solskjaer even prefer to retain a player that is not dedicated to his rebuilding project? If not, then selling the France international this summer, even at a knockdown price, would make sense, as it would nonetheless generate a considerable quantity of money for new signings.
England winger Jadon Sancho remains a priority, given his youth and pace, however putting a deal with Borussia Dortmund won’t be easy.
“There is no new situation. Currently no club will risk something in making a big money move – not even in England,” BVB chief Michael Zorc stated on Monday.
“We have a long-term contract with Jadon Sancho and that is why we are definitely relaxed.”
The former Manchester City superstar would likely value around £100m ($124m) – a sum that Woodward has conceded is no longer a legitimate fee to pay – so it is easy to understand why Zorc and the Dortmund hierarchy feel comfortable over a potential transfer.
However, United are nonetheless going to be one of a handful of clubs who will be able to spend, while some of their cash-strapped opponents may additionally be compelled to accept cut-price offers for their stars.
So, if United offload players they deem surplus to requirements, such as Pogba, it may additionally be viable to land a top target after all.
