Potential new Barcelona manager Xavi would reportedly be keen to sign Paul Pogba from Manchester United if he ends up taking over at the Nou Camp.
The France international is heading towards the end of his contract at Old Trafford, so it’s easy to see why a club like Barcelona might be tempted to pounce for him in the near future.
According to El Nacional, Pogba is one of four top targets for Xavi, but the likes of Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain could also be in for the 28-year-old if he leaves Man Utd.
It remains to be seen if Barca can win the race for Pogba’s signature against so much competition, but the very fact that his name is coming up in transfer rumours like this perhaps shows that the Catalan giants really haven’t learned anything from their poor recent record in the transfer market.
Pogba typifies the kind of signing that has led to this crisis at Barcelona – a big name who doesn’t really fit in, just like Philippe Coutinho, Antoine Griezmann and several others.
Xavi may be a big upgrade on Ronald Koeman as Barcelona manager, but he surely needs to resist attempting to make signings like Pogba if he is to usher in a new era for the club.
That’s not necessarily a criticism of Pogba, who is a top talent on his day, but he’s been terribly inconsistent at United and doesn’t seem like the kind of character really needed at Barca in this time of crisis.