Manchester City’s punishment for breaking Financial Fair Play rules means they are unlikely to be able to afford Paul Pogba this summer, FootballDirectNews.com understands.
The Juventus midfielder had been linked as one of their top targets for the upcoming transfer window, but with City now limited to spending of around 49million, they would almost certainly need to make some big sales before being able to meet the Italian club’s asking price for the player.
The 21-year-old, formerly of City’s local rivals Manchester United, is widely regarded as one of the best young players in the world at the moment, having established himself as a key player for Antonio Conte’s side since joining the club in 2012. It has previously been suggested that Pogba could move for a fee similar to the record-breaking 85million that brought Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid last summer, and it seems unlikely that City would now spend their entire budget on just one player.
The Premier League champions are more in need of signings in defence after some inconsistent displays at the back this season, and manager Manuel Pellegrini will likely now focus his attention on bringing in reported target Mehdi Benatia from Roma. Another club known to be keen on Pogba, Paris Saint-Germain, have been hit with a similar penalty by Uefa, and may also struggle to bring the French youngster in this summer.
