Ian McGarry on Transfer Window Podcast said that Riola is demanding a sub £20mil transfer fee if Utd try to sell Pogba in january. Also if that was to happen, pogbas loyalty bonus due to be paid in july next summer for £4.5mil net would have to be paid in full. Also pogba wants 500k a week for his next contract.
Apparently he is one of the senior players along with Bruno pushing for a change of manager as the potential of the squad is being wasted by poor coaching and management.
If Utd could pull off the unlikely event of getting zidane in as manager, pogba could sign a new contract, but dream remains to play for real madrid, but financial issues at Spainish giants means he wouldnt get the finanical deal he wants.
At this stage I would bite the hand off anyone offering £20m given the wage demands.
Let's assume the alternative is £450k wages compromise. That is £23.4m per year plus god knows what additional bonuses.
I can't see a deal being agreed for less than 4 years so that's something like £93.6m or £104m at £500k whether made up directly or bonuses.
Plus the loss of £20m income, so simple maths call it £120m cost of keeping Pogba.
Alternative, £20m income, £50m cost of decent midfielder, so net £30m, salary a more sensible £180k, round it up to £40m for 4 years, so maybe £70m over 4 years plus potentially sell on value and chance for more years of a quality player.
The maths simply don't stack up. Even with letting him go for free I would argue the £70m new player deal vs £100m to keep Pogba would make better use of money. You might get less 9/10 performances, but you'll likely get significantly more 7+/10 and frankly a DM would do more for us than Pogba in any position!
The real stupid move was not selling Pogba pre covid when we might have got £100m after his one stat padding year and even in that year he was phenomenal for about 25% of the games and fairly anonymous the other 75%.