Former Tottenham Hotspur Manager Harry Redknapp said last week that Spurs midfielder Dele Alli is worth more than Paul Pogba. If Alli does hit the open market, I guess we’ll find out if that’s true or not. Pogba, the world’s most expensive player, returned to Manchester United this past summer for a transfer deal worth £89.3 million, or $115 million or 103 million Euros.
In any currency, it’s a TON of money. #Pogback was no doubt a HUGE deal, but if the French national teammate and friend of Pogba, Antoine Griezmann, leaves Atletico Madrid for United this summer the record could be broken again.
United are confident they will sign Griezzman. Reportedly, Pogba will be key in making the deal happen. United Manager Jose Mourinho described the tremendous expectations for Pogba that has accompanied his #1 all time price tag. Mourinho also believes that the Pogba transfer fee record will get broken soon, and then seem miniscule by comparison over time.
“I think he has phenomenal conditions, but I think the scrutiny on him is very difficult,” Mourinho told a few outlets in the English press.
“When he plays very, very well, which he does many, many times, people think it is normal. Yet, when he has a game when he is not so happy and he doesn’t perform so well, pundits and even supporters go strong on him. But that’s the price of being who he is and his transfer price.”
“I am pretty sure that next summer some players with only half his quality probably will cost the same money or more so I am waiting for that moment to release him from the scrutiny. I think in a couple of years you will realize he was cheap but I have to admit that not many clubs have this vision of anticipation of what can happen in the near future,” Mourinho continued.
“A few years ago £25 million was a phenomenal player.
Today, £25 million is not even a player, it is a prospect of a player. Now, if you want to buy a good prospect, a good 20-year-old player who can be fantastic, you are paying as if the player is already a big player. I think next summer can bring a few surprises at this level and probably Paul will lose this status as the world’s most expensive player, which will probably be a good thing.”
For comparison sake of the £25m figure, remember that Angel Di Maria broke the British transfer record (a 12th time for MUFC) at £59.7m in summer of 2015. Juan Mata broke the United club record at £37.5m in January 2014. Thus, you could see the rapid rate of inflation here, and expect that inflationary trend to continue.
Mourinho’s comments are spot on. With soaring BPL television contracts, more money is flowing into the clubs, and more of that income can be spent on new players.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and Bold, contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication, CGTN America, WGN CLTV News and KOZN.
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