Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has encouraged Paul Pogba to complete a “dream” move to Real Madrid next year.
The Evening Standard reports that the French midfielder was touted for a switch to Santiago Bernabeu during the summer, but the Blancos decided against meeting United’s £150 million valuation.
Madrid are expected to revive their interest at the end of the season though, with Pogba thought to be keen on linking up with fellow countryman Zinedine Zidane in the Spanish capital.
The 26-year-old expressed a desire to undertake a new challenge at the end of the 2018-19 campaign, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer convinced him to remain in Manchester for at least one more year.
Ex-United star Saha, who played at Old Trafford between 2004 and 2004, has urged Pogba to seal a transfer to Madrid in 2019, in order to “pursue his dream”.
“My advice is to pursue your dream,” Saha told AS. “But I also have to tell you that here [at United] you can achieve success by attracting world-class players.
“I want him to stay and help us [United] be the force we were 10 years ago, but I understand any perspective he may have.
“I understand perfectly well that his dream is to be on a team where he can play and win the Champions League, in the end, it’s about raising titles and taking advantage of opportunities.
“We only have one professional career. There are cases where your heart beats for the club you play in and others where you can go where you have the chance to win something, and in very rare cases both are combined.”
Pogba has been a standout performer for the Red Devils at the start of the new season, but he will not play a part in their next Premier League clash against Leicester this weekend.
The mercurial playmaker has been ruled out through injury, after picking up a knock while on international duty with France, but he is expected back by next week.
United are eyeing a return to the Champions League and Pogba’s presence will be crucial to their chances of a top-four finish, but Real Madrid continue to wait in the wings for their next opportunity to pounce for his signature.
