Juventus are thought to be implementing a self-imposed salary cap on their squad as a way of surviving the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, although it would almost certainly rule out marquee signings like Paul Pogba for the foreseeable future.
Juventus have been heavily linked with Pogba, whose future at Manchester United has remained the subject of much speculation all season. But in the event of a salary cap being introduced, the chances of tempting the Frenchman back to Turin are extremely slim.
The Daily Mail repeats a story originating from a local newspaper claiming the club wishes to cap annual salaries in any new contracts at €9m. That is the equivalent of around £150,000 per week.
Such measures will only affect new contracts, therefore players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala and Aaron Ramsey will not be forced into wage cuts. It does, however, mean that any prospective new signing would have to accept maximum terms, at least initially.
Were Pogba to join the club, he would be subject to the limit, which a little more than half of the estimated £290,000 weekly wages he currently earns at United.
Cynics might argue that €9m per year is still a huge amount of money, but footballers have every right to demand what the market dictates a player of their quality and status should be paid and that is far lower than Pogba, an elite player about to enter his peak years, is worth.
Real Madrid are the other club heavily linked with Pogba.
90min revealed last month that Pogab’s priority is to join Real and that the interest is mutual. Los Blancos have a France-dominated recruitment strategy overseen by Zinedine Zidane that includes plans to also target N’Golo Kante and long-term desire Kylian Mbappe.
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, meanwhile, is hopeful of getting Pogba on the pitch with January signing Bruno Fernandes. The two are yet to play together as a result of the Frenchman’s injury layoff and the coronavirus-enforced suspension of football.
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Source : 90min