Manchester United have received a huge fillip in their endeavour to sign Paul Pogba, with Juventus looking at Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti as a potential replacement.
Pogba, despite signing a new contract last October which keeps him in Turin until 2019, continues to be linked with a move away, with the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid all interested in the signature of the ridiculously talented midfielder.
There is that sense that it is only a matter of time before Pogba leaves Juventus, with the question then being to which club.
Undoubtedly, if the 21-year-old sends out those feelers of wanting to play for a new club, he will have the pick of an enviable bunch, with Manchester United set to be one of the clubs to show the biggest interest.
Much has changed since Pogba stormed out of Manchester United and signed for Juventus on a free transfer, and with Louis Van Gaal at the helm now, a move back to Old Trafford cannot be entirely ruled out.
Pogba was recently linked with a jaw-dropping £77 million switch to Manchester United next summer, and the possibility of pulling off that massive move only improved with reports suggesting Juventus are considering a move for Verratti, according to the Daily Express.
The Italy international is being looked at as a potential replacement in midfield – it remains to be seen if that is for Pogba or Arturo Vidal, another player who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United.
Juventus failed in a move for Verratti a few years ago, with the talented midfielder deciding to sign for PSG instead, but the 22-year-old recently admitted he would like to move back to the Serie A someday, even if he insisted he remains quite happy in Paris.
"One day I want to play in the Serie A," Verratti was quoted as saying by the Gazzetta Dello Sport at the weekend. "Back when I used to play for Pescara, I was sought after by a lot of clubs, but if I'd ended up in Juventus I doubt they would have given me the same space that I have with PSG
"I am in a great club and I think I made the right choice, because in Italy there is less faith in youth. I, on the other hand, believe that if a player is good, then he should play regardless."
There is little doubt that Verratti is good enough to play for any club now, and if Juventus do make a firm move in the summer, then that Pogba to Manchester United (or Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Real Madrid and more) transfer might just become a reality.
