When Manchester United re-signed Paul Pogba for a world-record fee of £89m in the summer of 2016, Manchester City fans were sent a warning. The Blues had just hired Pep Guardiola as their new manager, but United had just signed one of the best players in the world.
Six years on, and it's clear which move worked out better. Guardiola has led City to four Premier League titles, while Pogba will leave United - as a free agent - without a league winner's medal to show for his time in Manchester.
After the announcement on Wednesday that Pogba will leave United when his contract expires at the end of the month, it's expected he will re-join Juventus as a free agent. It will be the second time in his career that the Frenchman has made that switch.
As per The Athletic, he could quite easily have ended up staying in Manchester. City reportedly attempted to sign Pogba as a free agent, with Guardiola meeting Pogba to explain just how he would fit into his team. Txiki Begiristain, City's director of football, reportedly presented Pogba with an offer that would have made him one of City's top earners.
The 29-year-old midfielder considered the offer but was wary of the media storm that would ensue if he swapped red for sky blue. He also wanted a change of scenery, after his family home in Cheshire was burgled in March.
Pogba joining City on a free transfer would have been one of the most controversial moves in Premier League history, and one that would have no doubt split opinion within the City fanbase. Still, it would have been fascinating.
@bigbencorrie: Great ability, no work rate or team ethic. Doesn’t get in our reserves.
@city_tactics: Would have been fascinating. For someone with his technical ability it is amazing how long it can take for him to sort his feet out. He’s caught on the ball way more often than our current options. I just couldn’t see it working despite his vision, passing range and creativity
@sut_dec: Thank you god for not letting this deal go through
@citehxen: Feels like Pep wants to be the guy to make him great again. He’s past it now sadly
@BlueWolf_09: Not surprising at all specially because Pogba counts as a homegrown player. So a homegrown player like that on a free seems like a mad deal. One of those take a chance things
@Mwamboa_Marami: Pogba at Man City would really see him hit top top levels of his football brilliance.
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