It’s happened. It’s actually, finally bloody happened.
It dragged and it dragged and it dragged… and it dragged, but one of the longest-running transfer sagas in recent memory has finally ended.
Manchester United have secured the return of Paul Pogba for the princely sum of £89m, plus performance-related bonuses and other costs. Pogba has signed on for a five-year deal at the club.
This record-breaking transfer fee sees the 23-year-old become the world’s most expensive footballer, surpassing Gareth Bale, whom Real Madrid purchased for £85m in 2013.
Home. #POGBACK pic.twitter.com/N0irgKbuv5
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 8, 2016
The starlet returns to Old Trafford after four years away, having made the swap from United to Juventus for a measly £1.5m in 2012. His first official words as a United player (the second time around) will give Red Devils hope for the future.
“This is the right club for me to achieve everything I hope to in the game.”
The Frenchman’s parting words to his old club was one of the cheesiest break-up lines invented since the “it’s not you, it’s me” line became hackneyed.
Thanks @juventusfc and all Juventini. Goodbye means nothing, it is the time we spent together that matters 🙏🏾❤
— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) August 8, 2016
On the signing, Jose Mourinho told manutd.com:
“Paul is one of the best players in the world and will be a key part of the United team I want to build here for the future. He is quick, strong, scores goals and reads the game better than many players much older than he is. At 23, he has the chance to make that position his own here over many years. He is young and will continue to improve; he has the chance to be at the heart of this club for the next decade and beyond.”
Pogba completes Mourinho’s list of four summer targets, after Eric Bailly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan also moved to Old Trafford in the transfer window.
