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Mino Raiola Says Paul Pogba 'Would Like to Come Back to Juventus'

Rory Marsden

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba would like to return to Juventus, according to his agent, Mino Raiola. 

Pogba has endured a difficult 2019-20 as injuries have restricted him to just five Premier League appearances for the Red Devils.

Per Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol, his exit from Old Trafford in the summer seems inevitable after he stayed put for another season despite saying last June "it could be a good time to have a new challenge somewhere else."

Raiola has now said Pogba's future will be decided after UEFA Euro 2020, and a return to Juventus could be on the cards, per Italian football writer Fabrizio Romano:

"Pogba feels at home in Italy; Italy is like his second home or family, same feeling as [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic. That's why Paul would like to come back to Juventus. But we'll go to speak about that just after the Euro 2020. Pogba wants to play at the best levels always...but he can't escape by Manchester United now, in this moment where the club is not having a good period."

Pogba's contract at United runs to the end of the 2020-21 season, but the Manchester giants have an option to extend it by a further year.

Per Solhekol, the Red Devils valued Pogba at £150 million last summer.

It seems unlikely they will get any club to pay such a huge fee for him now, especially given that he has been sidelined for most of the 2019-20 campaign and blown hot and cold throughout his time at Old Trafford:

At the very least, though, United will still be eager to recoup the £89 million they spent on re-signing the France international from Juve in 2016.

All parties will likely benefit if Pogba returns to full fitness again before the end of the season and puts in some good performances.

According to the Daily Mail's Sami Mokbel, the 26-year-old is hopeful of returning to outdoor training inside two weeks and could then be available to play soon after that.

If he returns by mid-March, he could have a crucial role to play in United's run-in.

Depending on how results go until then, particularly in Monday's visit to Chelsea, United's hopes of finishing in the top four could be slim by the time Pogba is back as a three-game winless run has seen them drop to eighth:

But the Frenchman could yet have a key role to play in United winning some silverware this term.

Their fifth-round clash against Derby County in the FA Cup is scheduled for March 5 after they return to UEFA Europa League action with their last-32 tie against Club Brugge.

   

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