The Blues will have to stump up mega-money to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus…
Chelsea have been told by Italian champions Juventus they will need to pay a £40m valuation for young French midfielder Paul Pogba in January, reports the Daily Express.
Jose Mourinho wants to bring in a young, talented central midfielder now Marco Van Ginkel has picked up an injury that will keep him out for the season, and reckons 20-year-old Pogba is the perfect player to target.
Juventus will reluctantly accept they have to sell the youngster, who has quickly established himself as one of the most promising players in Europe.
In case you missed our feature yesterday, here’s what the talented dynamo could bring to the Blues if they managed to secure a deal:
Youth:
Pogba is just 20-years-old, Chelsea would be making a long-term investment if they stumped up the fee to bring him in to Stamford Bridge. With Frank Lampard 35-years-old, Pogba could well be his eventual replacement. Not only could he be a key member of Chelsea’s midfield for the next ten years, but his age means he has a high potential resale value, too.
Physicality:
Pogba is a fierce physical specimen who should fit seamlessly into the Premier League. Many players struggle to adapt to the pace and power of English football, but Pogba has all the attributes to slot straight in. He’s 6ft. 3″, and extremely strong and quick. Having spent time during his younger years at Manchester United, he also has the advantage of previous experience playing in this country, although not at Premier League level.
Pogba’s strengths:
Pogba rarely ever loses aerial duels, and possesses a ferocious long shot on him. He enjoys dribbling through the centre of the park, and has good ball control for someone so rangy. His array of passing is strong, and he often looks long for a teammate with diagonal cross-field balls.This season, the Frenchman has completed an impressive 19 of his 23 long passes. He averages 44 successful passes per game this season, at an 84% completion rate.
Pogba also bags important goals. Twice this season he’s scored the winner in vital 1-0 victories.
How he’d slot into the Chelsea XI:
Pogba would more than likely slot in the Chelsea side alongside Ramires in midfield, as a rotation option for the aging Frank Lampard. Next to Ramires, Pogba would be given the licence to roam forward and join in attacks, and he could eventually claim this spot for his own as Lampard edges closer to retirement.
Alternatively, he could be used instead of Ramires as Lampard’s partner, but he would play a more dictatorial deep-lying playmaker role, where he could recycle possession for the Blues, and provide a platform from which the Blues’ array of attackers could perform.
Finally, against strong opposition, Mourinho may choose to field an extra centre-midfielder, and Pogba could start with two of Ramires, Lampard or even Mikel. In this scenario, Pogba would provide the midfield’s box-to-box energy, and be encouraged to involve himself in attack and defence.
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