Paul Pogba Next Club Odds: Juventus Favourites To Sign Him This Summer

You can breathe easy again, Manchester United fans: Paul Pogba will not be joining Manchester City this summer.

That is according to a report by The Athletic, although it is interesting to note that betting sites have not ruled out a dramatic U-turn which could see the 29-year-old at the Etihad Stadium in a few months’ time.

The aforementioned report stated that City’s interest in the soon-to-be free agent was genuine, but that the France international had informed the club that he preferred another offer.

That news came as a relief to United supporters, who feared that Pogba might finally fulfil his potential at club level on the other side of Manchester.

This is a big moment in the midfielder’s career. He will turn 30 next year and his next contract will probably be his last while he is still at the peak of his powers.

Pogba did not live up to expectations at United and he will be desperate to add more silverware to his collection after failing to win the Premier League or the Champions League in the northwest of England.

So, where might Pogba end up next? Let’s take a look at the odds and then assess some of the options in front of him.

Paul Pogba Next Club Betting

Juventus Strong Favourites To Land Pogba

If Pogba was asked to pick his favourite memories from his club career so far, most would come from his four-year spell at Juventus.

Sure, he has won the Europa League and the League Cup with United, but that is a much paltrier return than Pogba would have expected when he returned to Old Trafford for a then-world record fee of £89.3m in 2016.

Pogba lifted four Serie A titles with Juventus and also reached a Champions League final. Max Allegri, the manager who oversaw that 2015 run which ended in defeat by Barcelona, is back in charge of the Bianconeri, who are priced at 2/9 with BetVictor to win the race for Pogba’s signature this summer.

Juve are not the force they were a few years ago, though: they only finished fourth in Serie A last season and are on course to do the same this time around.

And given his second spell at United has not gone according to plan, Pogba might be wary of returning to another former club which has seen better days.

PSG No Longer In Pole Position To Bring Frenchman Home

Pogba has never played professional football in France. He spent his formative years in the youth ranks of Torcy and Le Havre, before joining United in a controversial deal at the age of 16.

Aside from the Red Devils, Juventus is the only other club he has turned out for at senior level.

The idea of returning to his homeland would no doubt appeal to Pogba, who was born in the eastern suburbs of Paris. After once again falling short in the Champions League this season, PSG are expected to be in for another busy summer.

They came close to landing Pogba last August, only to pull out of a deal in order to complete the signing of Lionel Messi instead.

Rumour has it that PSG promised Pogba they would return for him when his contract expired. Unsurprisingly, they are the 2/1 second favourites on football betting sites to sign the midfielder.

Is The Manchester City Deal Completely Dead In Water?

The reports linking Pogba with Manchester City sparked an interesting debate: would Pep Guardiola’s side be better or worse off with the 29-year-old in their ranks?

Pogba is clearly a talented player – in terms of attributes, there are few more complete midfielders in world football – but his critics charge that he does not work hard enough to thrive in a team managed by Pep Guardiola.

His supporters counter that he has been short-changed by United and needs a world-class coach to unlock his potential.

Despite Pogba’s apparent rejection of City’s offer, UK bookmakers do not believe this potential deal has gone up in smoke.

Indeed, City - who were in as tight as 5/4 previously - can still be backed at 25/1 with Paddy Power to land Pogba, who could either change his mind or be forced back to the drawing board if his favoured move does not come off.

La Liga’s Big Two Have Cooled Interest – For Different Reasons

Real Madrid were once at the front of the queue to sign Pogba, but they appear to have moved in a different direction in recent months.

They could still be good value at 20/1 though, especially as Pogba has said in the past that it would be a dream to play at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Financial considerations look set to rule Barcelona out of this one and the Catalans are available at 25/1 on Betfair to sign Pogba.

But although there would be no transfer fee involved, it is doubtful that Barcelona would be able to match the salary offer of a club like PSG or Manchester City.

Newcastle And Liverpool Are Rank Outsiders

Newcastle had a fantastic end to their Premier League campaign and they will hope to bring that momentum with them into next season.

Eddie Howe will be backed in the summer window and Newcastle are priced at 33/1 to land Pogba, but players of the World Cup winner’s calibre will not consider a move to St James’ Park until the Magpies have qualified for a European competition.

Liverpool are an even longer shot at 66/1. Pogba’s contractual status means United would not be able to stop him if he chose to move to Anfield, but it is fair to say the 29-year-old would not be a good stylistic fit for Jurgen Klopp’s side.