Manchester United star Paul Pogba ‘dreams’ of playing with Lionel Messi… as Barcelona plot sensational swoop for World Cup-winning midfielder
BARCELONA are plotting an audacious swoop for Manchester United star Paul Pogba... with the World Cup winner "dreaming" of playing with Lionel Messi.
The La Liga champions are keen to add some power to their ageing midfield, with Pogba thought to be the new No1 target.
Arturo Vidal is already set to join Barcelona from Bayern Munich after a deal between the two clubs was agreed.
But Ernesto Valverde wants Pogba as a long-term replacement for Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets, both 30-years-old.
Barcelona have already shipped Paulinho off to China in order to free up a non-EU spot in their squad.
Meanwhile, club legend Andres Iniesta called time on his illustrious Barca career to embark on a new adventure in Japan.
But with Busquets and Rakitic - both still very accomplished players - getting on in years, Valverde is already beginning to look to the future.
The Barca chief has already tied up a deal for box-to-box terrier Vidal, who will bring some much-needed grit to the technically-gifted midfield.
Pogba only re-joined Man United two summers ago from Juventus in a then-world record £89m deal after a long, drawn-out process.
However, he has failed to replicate his Serie A form in the Premier League and has been tipped to leave for months now, with Jose Mourinho potentially willing to sell.
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Juve are also thought to be mulling over a £200m offer to bring Pogba back to Italy.
However, the lure of Messi could be too much to turn down for fan-boy Pogba - despite Cristiano Ronaldo now being on the books of the Italian champions.
France's World Cup-winning star appeared to hint at a move back to Juventus earlier this summer - after he was spotted wearing a Paulo Dybala shirt.