Real Madrid would ‘welcome’ Man United target Paul Pogba and are lucky to have Gareth Bale – according to club legend Raul
Former Los Blancos skipper reckons Welshman is on par with Cristiano Ronaldo and backs Zinedine Zidane to thrive in role
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REAL MADRID legend Raul insists his former club are lucky to have Gareth Bale and would welcome Paul Pogba to the Santiago Bernabeu with open arms.
Zinedine Zidane is anticipating more transfer activity after already completing a deal to re-sign Alvaro Morata from Juventus.
Real – who have just unveiled their new home kit for the upcoming campaign – were expected to move the striker on for a huge profit, with Chelsea and Arsenal both interested.
But Morata is now set to stay and fight for his place with last season’s Champions League winners, providing Karim Benzema with some much-needed competition for a place at the tip of Real’s formidable attacking triumvirate.
And although Pogba is expected to rejoin Manchester United in a world-record £100million deal from Juve, Raul believes the Frenchman would be a top addition to Real’s already star-studded squad.
He told : “[Morata] has earned his return to the Real Madrid team. [Pogba] is a great player.
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“It depends upon him as to which club he joins. If he comes to Spain he will be welcome, but for now he is a Juventus player and we must wait.”
Raul also reckons that Welshman Bale has proven himself to be on an equal level with Cristiano Ronaldo after a spell-binding season for club and country.
The 39-year-old added: “Gareth Bale is a great player. I don’t know why one should be considered above another. They need each other.
“Bale has had a good season and is one of the most important players of recent years. Any team would have him and luckily La Liga and Madrid do.”
And when asked about Zidane’s appointment as Real’s new permanent manager following last season’s unexpected success, Raul admitted he would never have guessed his former teammate would be leading Los Blancos as boss in the future.
Raul explained: “It was a surprise. Now it’s the challenge for him, but he is capable.
“After first I did not see Zidane as a coach. It’s a feeling you get with some teammates, in some more than others.
“In the first four months he has done very well, and is seeming more comfortable. Starting from scratch will be a challenge but he is very well educated and will continue to be a success.”