Manchester United are set to make Paul Pogba the highest-paid player at the club with a new five-year contract worth £400,000 per week, according to The Athletic.
Pogba has just one year remaining on his current £290,000-a-week deal and United are ‘desperate’ to extend his stay at Old Trafford before the transfer window closes.
However, the French midfielder is yet to accept United’s latest offer – which will see him earn more than David de Gea who is earning £375,000 per week.
Manchester United are reportedly set to make Paul Pogba (above) the highest-paid player at the club with a new five-year contract worth £400,000 per week
Pogba will take his time to assess his options as a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain next season remains a possibility.
Nevertheless, United chiefs want Pogba to sign the deal – which would run for a minimum of four years, with the option of extending until 2025 – as soon as possible.
The new deal will also provide the midfielder with a significant increase on his £290,000-a-week contract as the club want to protect the player’s market value – given the fact they face losing him for nothing next summer after an £89m outlay to sign him in 2016.
Pogba’s (left) current deal which sees him earn £290,000-a-week will expire this year
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is desperate to keep the French midfielder at the club
Should United fail to secure his signature, it would be the second time Pogba has walked away from Old Trafford, having joined Juventus in 2012 at the expiry of his contract.
It is understood that Pogba is biding his time as he decides his next move and will not rush into the decision.
Therefore, it is unlikely that Pogba will put pen to paper with Manchester United before the transfer window closes at 11pm on August 31.
Therefore, Pogba’s new deal will surpass David De Gea who is earning £375,000 per week
PSG had been linked with a move for Pogba this summer, but Lionel Messi’s shock switch to the Ligue 1 side stopped any deal from happening as the club prioritised the Argentine superstar instead.
Nevertheless, PSG have reportedly offered Pogba a mammoth £510,000-a-week salary if he joins them on a free next summer.
Pogba had also been linked with moves to Real Madrid and Barcelona this summer but their well-known and publicised financial issues have put the midfielder off a move until he’s out of contract – allowing him to move for no transfer fee.
Lionel Messi’s shock switch to PSG this summer stopped any move for Pogba from happening
However, boss Mauricio Pochettino is still interested in bringing Pogba to France next term
Pogba got the new 2021-22 campaign off to the flying start on Saturday after he played a pivotal role in United’s 5-1 triumph win over arch rivals Leeds at Old Trafford.
Bruno Fernandes walked away with the match ball and Mason Greenwood caught the fans attetntion, but it was Pogba who was the star of the show.
The Frenchman recorded four assists during United’s victory – leaving manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to sing the midfielder’s praises after the game.
‘Impressive,’ Solskjaer said of Pogba’s vision. ‘Paul’s always got that vision, he’s got that quality.
Pogba recorded four assists as United ran riot at Old Trafford in front of a sell-out crowd
Pogba got the new campaign off to a flying start on Saturday in the 5-1 win over Leeds
‘I know that the headlines will probably be about Bruno or Paul but this is a team effort and the space Mason creates for Bruno to open up the channels, what everyone does ahead of the goals has been worked on this week.
‘But, Paul, I’m very impressed with his fitness levels as well. He’s not been with us for too long and he looks fit, ready to go, enjoying his football.
‘I love seeing Paul and all these boys smiling when they’re playing football.’
Pogba prepared for the season by completing conditioning sessions with coaches from the NBA’s Miami Heat while on holiday in the US (Pogba courtside watching Miami Heat in 2019)
His love for basketball previously came under fire when he was seen shooting hoops with Jimmy Butler in November 2019 while out injured with an ankle injury (above)
Pogba reportedly prepared for the 2021-2022 season by completing several conditioning sessions with coaches from the NBA’s Miami Heat while on holiday in the US.
The Frenchman’s involvement in the basketball set-up has come under fire previously – given he was seen shooting hoops with Jimmy Butler in November 2019 while out injured with an ankle injury.
However, Solskjaer will have zero complaints this time round as the 28-year-old is firing for Manchester United.