Real Madrid opting to swap Gareth Bale for Manchester United star Paul Pogba would be a “mistake”, according to the club’s former president.
Ramon Calderon has urged Los Blancos to keep Wales star Bale — who he believes is "irreplaceable" — and avoid a potentially unwise swap deal.
Madrid showed interest in Pogba in the summer transfer window. And although MEN Sport understands United want to keep the France midfielder and tie him down to a new contract, Pogba's current deal expires in June 2021 (albeit with the option of a further year) and, as it stands, could leave Old Trafford next summer.
Calderon, the ex Los Blancos president, told talkSPORT that he thinks boss Zinedine Zidane and current president Florentino Perez should steer clear of a January swap deal involving Pogba.
“We’ve always had bad experiences with this transfer window," he said. There are no real players available for good teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona.
“They are talking here about a swap – Bale or James [Rodriguez] for Pogba. But I think they are only rumours. It is true Zidane is looking for having Pogba; for a long time he has said that publicly.
“But I think it would be a mistake, especially to let Bale go. If he is fit and motivated, I think he is irreplaceable for us.”
Pogba has not played for United since featuring in their 1-1 Old Trafford draw with Arsenal on the final day of September.
He's been missing with an ankle injury, though boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when quizzed about Pogba's availability before Wednesday night's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Colchester, revealed that the Frenchman had suffered a setback with illness.
