With Real Madrid apparently giving Luka Modric the green light to leave the club, Los Blancos are in the market for a new midfielder, and their attentions could now turn to Manchester United’s Paul Pogba.
Zinedine Zidane needs cover if the club are going to allow the Croatian to depart the Santiago Bernabeu, and to that end, a bid with Rennes of €60m was already lodged for their exciting talent, Eduardo Camavinga, according to le10sport.
However, according to OK Diario and cited by le10sport, that has been rejected out of hand by the French club, who are sticking to their original €75m valuation of the 17-year-old.
Pogba would almost certainly cost more than Camavinga, and in the current financial climate it would be understandable why Los Blancos would baulk at that, despite a mutual appreciation from both sides.
But they may be left with no option other than to somehow construct a deal that suits all parties, or risk being light in a crucial area next term.
Despite the emergence of Fede Valverde and the continuing excellence of Casemiro and Toni Kroos, Zidane can’t afford to not have cover in the middle of the park.
Rennes might find it hard to turn down a slightly improved bid from Real too, but if they hold firm, Pogba absolutely becomes an option for Zidane again.