Will Paul Pogba ever return to Old Trafford after leaving for Juventus in 2012, these five players did something similar…
Reports in The Sun are reporting today that Manchester United are still interested in the prospect of re-signing former youth academy graduate Paul Pogba from Juventus, although have now been struck a major blow in their hopes of doing so.
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According to the source, Juventus are threatening to pull the plug, even though they could make a killing on the deal. Despite rumours of a £77m transfer, the Italians are having none of it, and insist Pogba is staying put as they “don’t need to sell him.”
Sir Alex Ferguson allowed Pogba to leave for nothing two and a half years ago, after growing frustrated with his attitude and lack of respect toward the Old Trafford side – refusing to sign a new long-term contract to stay at the club.
Pogba wouldn’t be the first player to produce a massive profit for a selling club, here are five other players who returned to their former clubs:
5) Peter Crouch (Tottenham and Portsmouth)
Two clubs have re-signed the well-travelled striker, with Tottenham paying the most for the privilege. In 2000 they sold the teenager to QPR for just £60,000, only to buy him nine years later for £10m. Portsmouth signed him in 2001 for £1.5m then sold him to Aston Villa for £5m in 2002, netting a £3.5m profit, and he returned in 2008 for £11m.
4) Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)
Former England striker Defoe is on his way back to the Premier League from Toronto after just one year, and is set to join Sunderland in a £14m deal. But Spurs actually signed him twice, paying West Ham £6m in 2004 and then, having allowed him to leave for the same price to Portsmouth, bought him back for £10m.
3) Nemanja Matic (Chelsea)
Chelsea paid Kosice £1.5m for the midfield hardman in 2009, but after quiet loan spells with Vitesse, he was sold to Benfica, with the Blues including him, along with £21m, as part of the deal to sign David Luiz – something which seems laughable now. They bought him back for £21m in January last year.
2) Nicolas Anelka (Paris Saint Germain)
Arsenal grabbed Anelka from PSG in 1997 for a minimal fee, and the Frenchman enjoyed plenty of success at Highbury – winning the double – before leaving in a £22.3m deal to Real Madrid, with Arsene Wenger reportedly sick of his attitude. A year later, the French side paid £22m to bring his back to the capital.
1) Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona)
Another player Arsenal snatched at a young age for a minor fee. Eight years, 303 appearances, 57 goals, one FA Cup but no Premier League titles later, Fabregas returned to Barcelona for £35m. By 2014, he was gone again, and is of course now at Chelsea.
SEE ALSO: Manchester United transfer news