Long coveted by Zinedine Zidane during his time in charge of Los Merengues, the new Toni Kroos, now free of any contract, has offered himself to the Casa Blanca club. It is an opportunity that Florentino Pérez has no intention of seizing to bolster Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.
Real Madrid’s current season has been marked by irregularities and doubts, both in terms of play and results. Between injuries and a lack of attacking efficiency, Los Merengues are struggling to impose their usual dominance. Against this backdrop, one name keeps coming up: that of Zinedine Zidane, the man who built a legendary team characterised by defensive solidity and a keen sense of rotation.
But while Zidane is synonymous with success at Madrid, he is also linked with an unfulfilled dream: that of luring Paul Pogba to the Santiago Bernabeu. During his years on the Madrid bench, Zinedine Zidane never concealed his admiration for Paul Pogba. With his impressive physique and refined technique, the French midfielder was seen as the ideal addition to strengthen Real Madrid’s midfield.
Zidane met Pogba “by chance” in Dubai this week 👀 pic.twitter.com/0nxkHFB0cS
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 18, 2019
Unfortunately, neither Zidane’s wishes nor discussions with Florentino Pérez resulted in a transfer. Manchester United’s financial demands, combined with the ups and downs of Pogba’s career, particularly injuries, made a deal impossible. After serving his suspension, Paul Pogba has reportedly expressed his desire to join Real Madrid, even offering to join the club in the final stage of his career. His experience in Serie A and the Premier League, as well as his impressive list of honours, are all arguments in his favour.
Pogba and Real Madrid, the end of the road
According to madrid-barcelona.com, neither Carlo Ancelotti nor Florentino Pérez seem attracted by the opportunity. ‘Real Madrid already have a talented and balanced midfield, with players like Bellingham, Tchouaméni, Camavinga and Valverde,’ says a source close to the club. Madrid’s current project is based on youth and the development of promising talent. In this context, a player like Pogba, at 31 years of age and inconsistent, does not fit into the club’s plans.
🗣️ Evra: “Paul (Pogba) wanted to go to Real Madrid. Florentino Perez said ‘we can’t give you the same money.’ Raiola picked up his phone, called United.” pic.twitter.com/QyoJ0ABtcb
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) August 29, 2024
For Ancelotti, who favours continuity with a young squad, the inclusion of Pogba would represent a break with that philosophy. ‘There is no place for Pogba in Real Madrid,’ said a member of the club’s staff, according to the same media outlet. While Zidane’s return to Madrid remains a possibility in some circles, the idea of seeing Paul Pogba in a white shirt now seems to belong to the realms of speculation. The Madrid club prefers to concentrate on its long-term project.
How Mbappé could shine at Real Madrid thanks to Pogba
Paul Pogba would represent a serious alternative to a player like Toni Kroos. His long-range passing ability could be of great help to Real Madrid in their transition game. Even Kylian Mbappé recently admitted in a press conference with the French national team what it means to play with Paul Pogba. ‘A striker always has to adapt to all situations, to his team-mates, to their characteristics. A lot of people refer to the way we played when I first joined the national team. But we had different players. For example, in midfield we had Paul Pogba. With him, all you have to do is put your head down, run, make an appeal and you know that the ball is going to arrive at your foot,’ said Kylian Mbappé on Thursday 4 July in Hamburg.
Kylian Mbappé spoke about how easy it was to play as a forward with Paul Pogba in midfield for France 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/IEBa9qpKbH
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 4, 2024
Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappé have shared many memorable moments with the French national team. In 41 matches played together in a Tricolor shirt, their understanding on the pitch, while promising, has not always been synonymous with decisive direct connections. Only once, in March 2018 against Russia, did Pogba provide an assist for a Mbappé goal
But the impact of their partnership cannot be measured in raw statistics alone. During those 41 matches, Mbappé scored 20 goals and provided 17 assists, performances that were often facilitated by Pogba’s ability to organise play from midfield.
While Pogba and Mbappé have made their mark on Les Bleus’ history together, most notably by winning the trophy in 2018, the destinies of the two players now seem to be following opposite trajectories. But a reunion at Real Madrid could help the Bondynois regain my ‘mojo’. But that may not happen, as Real Madrid, Florentino Perez and even Carlo Ancelotti are not currently interested in investing in Pogba for a variety of reasons.
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