08 Jul 2021 19:34:01
Ed002, I see rumours surfacing about Saul to Liverpool. Can you cheer me up and tell me this is complete nonsense? Cheers.

{Ed002's Note - Saul Niguez (CM) Nobody will pay his release clause but Atletico could look to a very high fee for a player who has a contract that runs for years in order to get his €300k weekly wage off the books. Bayern Munich's first choice to add for midfield and his agent has spoken with several sides as Atletico want to make very significant savings on salaries and could be forced in to a corner by the player and his agent. But Bayern see his cash price at €60M (or €75M on terms) and wages of €300k as too high and will want to negotiate - they will almost certainly turn elsewhere. He is being offered to the usual suspects who have money - Manchester United (who would need to offload Pogba), Juventus, Manchester City, PSG, Chelsea as a Kovacic replacement - many of which are looking to add a player in his position but his wages are a major issue for most. Atletico have signed his replacement. I am not aware of any approach from Liverpool at this time but he would be an excellent choice but a lot more expensive than other options.}

1.) 08 Jul 2021
08 Jul 2021 20:05:20
Hi Ed, do United retain any interest on their side as one of the few sides who could afford it (if Pogba were to go) or is it more from his representation offering him around?

{Ed002's Note - Sure but they are intent on keeping the hostage and no moving forward right now.}

2.) 08 Jul 2021
08 Jul 2021 20:39:54
Club need to look at the options unless Pogba is willing to sign a new contract (unlikely and if he did it would be astronomical) . No player especially someone like Pogba will give 100% in the final year of contract through fear of injury stopping the next big payday.
Bite the bullet, either use him as part exchange for Verane or sell to PSG. Then bring in someone like Saul as a replacement or top quality holding midfielder.

3.) 09 Jul 2021
09 Jul 2021 10:08:10
gotta say, a midfield of Bruno, Saul and Camavinga would be awesome. With donny, Fred, McT and Matic as backup. Replace Matic and Fred over the next 2 windows with Garner and Mejbri and we are set for 5 years.

4.) 09 Jul 2021
09 Jul 2021 03:37:27
Question for Ed002, if you’re around. You mentioned that the club can’t profiteer from a sale of Pogba due to having extended his contract, but how exactly would things work if they swapped him for someone like Varane? Would we still have to declare the ‘value’ of the deal and then negotiate with his agent or would it just go through like any other swap?

{Ed002's Note - All transfers have a value - even if they are exchanges.}

5.) 09 Jul 2021
09 Jul 2021 12:49:45
Isn’t that why Barcelona and jive did the Arthur - pjanic swap at ridiculous prices.

6.) 09 Jul 2021
09 Jul 2021 13:09:08
Ultimately all players have a "asset value" If United extend Pogba's contract only to use that to get a player in exchange then United will have profited to the tune of the value of that player.

So if Varane is valued at 50m then technically United have profited 50m from extending Pogba's contract.

The whole point about profiteering is that by extending Pogba's contract you are denying him and his agent the chance to earn a huge signing on fee.

Thus the club will have to agree to pay a large sum to Pogba and his agent if he is to leave this summer either for cash or as part of a player exchange.

7.) 09 Jul 2021
09 Jul 2021 22:16:03
Cheers for the reply, Ed002.

8.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 19:47:14
Isn't Varane in a similar contract situation to Pogba. In which case a swap would seem reasonable regardless of the nominal price attached. The profiteering aspect would presumably apply either to both sides or to neither.

{Ed002's Note - Real Madrid want cash, not cast offs.}