Jose Mourinho has launched a charm offensive to try to persuade Paul Pogba that his future lies in Manchester rather than Madrid.
Friends of the Juventus and France midfielder have told Sportsmail he would prefer a switch to Real Madrid over a return to United.
However, Old Trafford officials believe the Spanish giants are undecided on whether to make what would be close to a world-record move for Pogba.
They think they can convince the 23-year-old that a chance to work under Mourinho is a better option than waiting for a Madrid offer that may not come this summer.
United have no issue with spending around £80million on a player Sir Alex Ferguson let go for next to nothing in 2012. The key players involved in Pogba’s departure are no longer at the club.
‘Pogba is one of the manager’s targets,’ a source said. ‘In that case, as with all players the manager feels can improve the squad, the past is irrelevant.’
When the playmaker departed Old Trafford, relations with his agent, Mino Raiola, and Ferguson were severely strained. However, since Mourinho’s arrival, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a Raiola client, has signed on a free transfer, while Borussia Dortmund forward Henrikh Mkhitaryan, another Raiola man, is set to complete his move before the end of the week.
United will have to convince Pogba’s mother that a return to Manchester is a wise move after she hit out at his treatment previously, claiming the club had driven him to tears.
Real president Florentino Perez may become an unlikely United ally. The Bernabeu supremo does not want to break the bank for a player he is unconvinced by. But if Pogba leads France to glory and becomes the player of Euro 2016 then it may force the La Liga giants’ hand.
Images captured in the aftermath of France’s 5-2 thumping of Iceland showed Pogba shouting ‘vamos’, Spanish for ‘come on’, with some claiming that he picked up the word from international team-mate and Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann, who wants the pair to be reunited in the Spanish capital — albeit with different clubs.
Should that come to pass Real, yesterday ordered by the European Commission to repay €18m (£15.1m) of state aid, will look to offload Colombia talisman James Rodriguez, playmaker Isco and possibly Germany midfielder Toni Kroos. Manager Zinedine Zidane will also have a say in things and is thought to be a big admirer of Leicester’s N’Golo Kante.
Meanwhile, Mourinho started work at United yesterday. He arrived in Manchester on Sunday night and spent the evening at the five-star Lowry Hotel.
Looking relaxed and wearing a sky blue shirt, jeans and trainers, he departed for United’s training ground at 7.50am and stayed for 10 hours.
The Portuguese spent the majority of his time putting the finishing touches to the club’s pre-season plans. With the players who did not compete at the Copa America and European Championship not due to return until tomorrow, his main focus was on administration, although he did look in on the Under 18s. He also spoke to Mkhitaryan, as his move progresses.
Mourinho’s main task was to finalise arrangements for the club’s pre-season tour. The Portuguese was given the final say on hotels, travel arrangements and training times and it was at his request that the club arranged another pre-season friendly and will head to Sweden to face Galatasaray on July 30.
While tour planning took up most of his time, Mourinho also discussed his preferences for which pitches to use at Carrington and when. He also met staff who he had not already been introduced to, and in the late afternoon, spoke to the club’s media team to run through his unveiling at Old Trafford today.
Mourinho’s day finished on a high when he returned to the Lowry to find staff had arranged a welcome pack featuring a number of Manchester-themed gifts.
Sportsmail understands he was given presents including specially-commissioned cakes and a copy of the book Manchester: Looking for the Light through the Pouring Rain by former NME chief photographer Kevin Cummins. – Daily Mail