Manchester United’s new star Paul Pogba says his joy at completing a world record transfer from Juventus was tempered by the frustrating wait for the deal to be concluded.
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Pogba cost £89 million ($116.2 million) from Juventus, eclipsing the deal Real Madrid made for Gareth Bale in the summer of 2013.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that new signee Paul Pogba is a flawless fit for Manchester United, believing English clubs are forced to pay over the odds to buy footballers from overseas.
“You’ve got to get rid of that problem and I think that’s where Jose Mourinho is at now, that’s where the club is at, with the money they’re investing in the team and the squad and the manager”.
Pogba is United’s fourth signing since Mourinho replaced Louis van Gaal as manager of the record 20-time English champions.
Wenger and Klopp recently expressed their distaste for the astronomical fees being paid by clubs in recent seasons, specifically highlighting Pogba’s £89m transfer.
When Pogba joined Juventus in 2012, United received just £800,000 in compensation, and the Frenchman quickly established himself as a key player, helping the Bianconeri win Serie A four times and the Coppa Italia twice. I want to do great, I want to be one of the best, I want to win titles, I want to achieve things and that’s all, that’s why I came here, just to do this, to become one of the best and to win titles because I know this club has to win titles.
“That will come with time, hopefully, but first I want to win the premier league”. He is quick, strong, scores goals and reads the game better than many players much older than he is.
Mourinho hit back immediately at those comments, saying: “You are right, he (Klopp) was one of them (who had spoken) but I don’t comment”.
Mourinho’s reign got off to a successful start on Sunday as Ibrahimovic scored the victor in a 2-1 victory over Premier League champions Leicester City in the Community Shield.
Wenger was more analytical in his response, revealing the four main components behind a transfer fee and why we have witnessed the £100m barrier being smashed for the first time. “We couldn’t find a better striker than him to give us the stability we need”.
United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward worked at rebuilding the club’s relationship with Raiola – who helped broker moves for Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic this summer.
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Paul Pogba is finally coming home. “I think it’s a reason to be proud with the dimension of a club that can do that and can attract players of this dimension”, he said.
