Juventus have reportedly dropped their interest in re-signing Manchester United star Paul Pogba after vice-chairman Pavel Nedved decided the club would set their sights on other targets.
According to the Daily Mail Nedved rang Pogba's super agent Mino Raiola to inform him of the news, and it means Real Madrid now appear to be the only contenders to complete a deal for the midfielder before the end of the transfer window.
Pogba played for Juventus between 2012-2016, and is remembered fondly by the club having helped them win the Serie A title in every season he was there, four consecutive times.
However, Nedved and co clearly believe that the reported fee of £150m demanded by United for the player is too much, and are now looking at other options to improve their squad having already brought Aaron Ramsey, Adrien Rabiot and Gianluigi Buffon on free transfers as well as Luca Pellegrini for £19.8m from Roma and Merih Demiral for £16.2m from Sassuolo.
Madrid will now be the clear favourites to sign Pogba, but it is a saga that could drag on for a while yet as they need to sell a number of players before they are able to spend more money.
They have already signed the likes of Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic and Eder Militao for big money this summer, and are in desperate need to trim their squad.
Madrid have allegedly put six first-team players up for sale: Gareth Bale, Isco, James Rodriguez, Keylos Navas, Lucas Vazquez and Mariano Diaz.
Rodriguez is set to complete a move to Napoli in the next few days, but Bale appears to be the biggest problem, with no club appearing willing to take on his reported £650,000-a-week wages and poor injury record.
Manager Zinedine Zidane, however, is desperate to land Pogba, and will no doubt be urging the club to do everything in their power to bring him to the Bernabeu.
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