Manchester United and Inter Milan plot humongous swap deal

An exclusive from the Mirror has claimed that Manchester United will only let Paul Pogba join Inter Milan if they get Lautaro Martinez in return.

Pogba has been out injured for most of the season with an ankle problem. After briefly making a return in December, he was once again ruled out after requiring a surgery.

Many rumors making the rounds have claimed that his absence might be linked with the Frenchman’s desire to leave the club, although agent Mino Raiola claimed that he would stay in January.

Juventus and Real Madrid have been chasing the 26-year-old for a long time now, but United have always been immune to their advances. However, it looks like Inter Milan have jumped ahead in the race now.

Antonio Conte is eager to bring Pogba to the San Siro. The Italian managed him during their time at Juventus, where the two of them won league titles in 2013 and 2014.

But the World Cup winner is set to come at a great cost for Inter. United will demand Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez in return.

The 22-year-old forward has been in fantastic form, forming a promising partnership with Romelu Lukaku up front. He’s scored 8 goals and provided 1 assist in the Serie A, apart from 5 goals in the Champions League group stage.

Arriving from Racing Club in 2018, Martinez initially struggled to settle in. But he’s flourished alongside former United star Lukaku after the departure of Mauro Icardi.

Conte is reportedly willing to break up his strike force if it means signing Pogba. Its highly unlikely that the move will go through in January though, with a lot of work to be done in negotiating the transfer fee and contracts.

United value Pogba at £150 million, while Martinez is worth around £80 million.

This means that Inter will have to part with a considerable amount of money to have a chance of getting their man. They did spend a massive €80 million on Lukaku last summer, so this move isn’t completely implausible.

It could be something that suits all involved parties. While United have looked much better with Pogba in the team, they’ve also learned how to survive without him this season. The Red Devils are also being linked with moves for Jack Grealish and James Maddison, both of whom would be excellent replacements.

On the other hand, they could really use a lethal striker in front of goal after missing out on Erling Haaland.

Inter Milan already have one world class forward in Lukaku, as well as an emerging star in 17-year-old Sebastiano Esposito. A player like Pogba would be a statement to their rivals, as well as provide a spark to their midfield that can help them rival Juventus as Italy’s best team.