Paul Pogba has been told that he would be wanted by Chelsea and Liverpool players as part of the squad this summer. It comes after the Frenchman confirmed his departure from Manchester United as a free agent.
The Blues have already been touted as the “perfect option” for Pogba ahead of his decision for his next club in the upcoming transfer window. It is an equally important summer for Thomas Tuchel, who has the task of rebuilding his squad in the market.
Discussing the challenge of the upcoming season, the German coach said: “It will be a super tough race. Manchester United will be in the race, Tottenham will be in the race with Antonio Conte for sure, and we want to stay in the race. Liverpool and Man City do everything to even make their squads bigger and they set the standard so high.”
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While the defence will likely be a priority, after losing Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, the whole squad is likely to need a slight refresh. The midfield could be a particular area of focus, with Jorginho and N’Golo Kante entering their final year under contract at Stamford Bridge.
While Tuchel is believed to have upwards of £200million to spend under new owner Todd Boehly, he could instead turn his head to the free-agent market. A whole host of high-profile unattached players are available, such as Paulo Dybala and potentially Ousmane Dembele.
Another on that list is Pogba, who confirmed the end of a six-year stay at Old Trafford after the world record transfer switch in 2016. And in light of that, former Tottenham striker Darren Bent believes he would be welcomed at both Chelsea and Liverpool should he make the move.
Speaking on TalkSPORT, he said: “There will be a real admiration for Paul Pogba amongst other players in the Premier League from the players who have played against him. Other players in that Chelsea squad will think; 'I would love a player like that to come here'.
"Fans will see it differently and say; 'He doesn't work hard enough, it didn't work at United, why do we want him? But players think differently. It will be the same with Liverpool. Fans might think he wouldn't suit the system, but I bet there are Liverpool players who would want him."
Whether he makes the move to either remains to be seen, especially surrounding reports linking him with a move back to Juventus. However, especially for Chelsea, he could be that star power they need in the central ranks.
