Paul Pogba: The Most In-Demand Soccer Player in the World

Paul Pogba is the best player in Italy’s Serie A. Few would argue this. Beyond that, 21-year-old Juventus is probably the league’s top asset. As you can see in the video above, the French midfielder scored his sixth goal of the year in a win over Chievo, which kept Juventus seven points clear of Roma atop the table.

The goal comes on the heels of rumblings this week from Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, that his future may lie away from the Turin, despite the fact Juventus is the biggest, best team in Italy and owns a new, modern stadium. Serie A, while still a top four league in Europe, isn’t what it used to be, surpassed by England, Spain, Germany and sometimes Portugal in the UEFA coefficients. It’s hard to think of Serie A and not come up with comparisons to “classic rock” or other faded genres reliant on nostalgia.

Make no mistake, the best team in Italy probably needing to sell its best player — likely in the neighborhood of $100 million in transfer fees — sounds crazy on the surface, but it’s the reality of the situation. Juventus has won the last three Serie A titles with relative ease, Pogba playing on the most recent two after moving to northern Italy from Manchester United. Aside from winning the Champions League — and given the Old Lady’s form in the competition the last couple seasons this seems unlikely — there isn’t much more for Pogba to accomplish in Turin. If you’re Juventus how do you turn down all that money? Pogba’s value will never be higher and it’s always better to transfer a player too early as opposed to too late.

European soccer remains a cutthroat business. At the top, to borrow a line from Bob Dylan, “he not busy being born is busy dying.” Pogba, at 21, represents a fresh asset who would immediately change the dynamic of a top club. As Raiola said last week, “Let’s say that I am aware of the interest that there is around Paul, obviously, and without naming them, everybody that knows a little bit about football knows that there are only eight clubs that can afford him. That’s the eight clubs that will get into the scramble or the battle to have him.”

You can see why the elite European clubs want Pogba, he represents a modern, complete midfielder with an insane amount of ball skill to go along with a high workrate and wiry 6-foot-2 frame.

Raiola doesn’t name the eight clubs but it’s not hard to figure them out: Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and, let’s guess, Arsenal. Which of these makes the most sense?

Barcelona: The Catalan club is the nice fit for Pogba. Yes, he’d represent a change in style from what Barcelona has grown accustomed to in recent years, but the team is going need to replace Xavi, Sergio Busquets, and Andres Iniesta eventually. Pogba playing behind a front line of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez is scary, beyond video game stuff. That said, Barcelona’s transfer ban is in place until January 2016 and if Pogba moves in the summer, the club is out of luck. Odds: one percent or less

Real Madrid: Does Real Madrid need Paul Pogba? No. Hell no. Does that logic ever stop Real Madrid from buying players? No. Odds: five percent.

PSG: The Paris club has the funds to spend on Pogba and he hails from the city’s suburbs. Does he want to go back home? Moving to PSG from Juventus is a lateral move, to a degree. PSG, like Juventus, are almost judged entirely via Champions League progress. Eventually Zlatan Ibrahimovic will retire and PSG will need a new talisman. Pogba fits the bill but would this move fit his ambition? Odds: 15 percent.

Bayern Munich: Like Real Madrid, Bayern doesn’t need Pogba at the moment. Unlike Madrid, many of Bayern star players: Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and even Xabi Alonso are north of 30. Bayern isn’t going to get old and collapse overnight, but the midfield in a year or two could use a burst of energy like Pogba, that is unless David Alaba’s long-term future is in the middle of the field instead of defene. Bayern will continue to dominate the Bundesliga with or without Pogba but will remain Champions League favorites should they add him. Like Real Madrid, Bayern are never afraid to stockpile assets. Odds: 15 percent

Chelsea: If Roman Abramovich and Jose Mourinho want Pogba and he wants to come to Stamford Bridge, it would probably happen. Chelsea rarely fails to get its man. Odds: 10 percent

Manchester City: At times this year City’s looked flat. Throw Pogba into the equation and that immediately changes. Yaya Toure turns 32 in May, too. The biggest hiccup here is would UEFA’s Financial Fair Play mechanisms allow a transfer of this magnitude to go through? Adding Wilfried Bony this month from Swansea is a smart short-term play by City but would it, along with the big contracts/deals for guys like Stevan Jovetic preclude the club from adding Pogba later on? City should pursue Pogba but it might not be straightforward. Odds: 20 percent

Manchester United: Pogba began his career at Old Trafford, but forced a move to Italy due to lack of playing time when he remained mostly an unknown teenager. Let’s say this wasn’t one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s best decisions, although behind-the-scenes tinkering froom Raiola likely had a large part to do with it. Simply put, Pogba is the player in the midfield United sorely lacks. Would Pogba want to return and start a homecoming narrative? He’s quoted as saying he still “loves” the club. All things considered United would have to pay through the nose to bring him back to England, which the transfer of Angel Di Maria shows the club is willing to do. Astronomical money aside, there’s no reason United shouldn’t pursue Pogba as hard as possible for the next couple months. Odds: 20 percent.

Arsenal: Does Arsenal need Paul Pogba? Do flowers need rain to blossom? The Gunners need some midfield steel, or at least a defensive midfielder with some pace. Pogba could be that player, but as time wore on in Italy, we’ve seen he’s a most more dynamic offensive player than someone to simply shield a back-four. Arsene Wenger could certainly find a spot for him at the Emirates. Will the North London club win a bidding war with the other seven names on this list? That’s a much more difficult question. Odds: five percent.

[Photo via Getty]