/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/34961991/451227246.0.jpg)
If you're a fan, this is something you'll want to believe. If you're not a fan (period or just at the moneys involved), it's something you'll dismiss and make fun of. If you're like me, you'll do both.
Making 21-year-old Paul Pogba, with a decade of baseline awesomeness plus a potential extra sauce of absolute amazingness on the side to look forward to, the most expensive Premier League buy ever is a no brainer. Believing that we're about to actually do that when the most reputable source attached to the rumor is not Neil Ashton of the Daily Mail is, well, a non-brainer. That is, unless you're absent a brain, it's no reason to get excited.
Unfortunately.
Here's what we know:
- Paul Pogba's four-year contract expires in 2016. Juventus have repeatedly stated their desire to extend, but so far there's been no new deal and whether discussions are actually ongoing is anybody's guess. Juventus director Beppe Marotta claimed that his club won't sell anybody, but that's only intensified rumors about both Pogba and Vidal. Everybody's got a price.
- Daniel Taylor of the Guardian reported that Juventus quoted £60m when United and David Moyes inquired about Pogba. Presumably this deal is (still) available to other clubs as well, or at least could serve as the jump-off for negotiations.
- Chelsea manager Paul Pogba signs Paul Pogba. Football Manager does not lie.
- Goal.com "understands" a thing or two about Chelsea, Pogba, and £60m (Thursday)
- Goal.com story gets picked up by Daily Star, Express, etc. (Friday)
- Goal.com story gets picked up by Mirror, Metro, Mail, etc. (Saturday)
- ...
- Profit.
And so, we hope and believe. Or we dismiss and make fun. Or both.