Luis Suarez has told Paul Pogba he is always welcome at Barcelona, ramping up speculation he could leave Manchester United. The World Cup winner was linked with a move away from Old Trafford in the summer’s transfer window, and was even the subject of an offer from Barcelona. But the Red Devils rebuked the bid and Pogba was a United player on the opening day of the season, where he netted a penalty in a win over Leicester City.
Pogba hasn’t moved to play down speculation he could still leave United in January, however, and recently told reporters in the mixed zone at Old Trafford: “There are things I cannot say, otherwise I will get fined.”
Barcelona striker – and former Liverpool man – Suarez has now spoken out on his club’s mooted deal for Pogba, and has launched a charm offensive.
“Pogba’s an elite player who’s won everything,” Suarez told RAC1 on Tuesday. “He has a lot of quality and he’s one of the references at United.
“I think he would like to be competing for more than he is at the moment. He’s not a player that belongs to Barca, but he would always be welcome.”
Manchester United re-signed Pogba from Juventus for £89million in the summer of 2016, and many expected him to set the league alite.
Things never really worked out for him in his first campaign back at Old Trafford, and he only showed glimpses of brilliance.
Behind the scenes he has seemingly clashed with Mourinho one too many times, with the Portuguese dropping him following a defeat by Tottenham last season.
He was a different man at the World Cup in Russia this summer, suggesting the problems he has in expressing himself domestically is due to issues at Manchester United. The Red Devils are keen to keep hold of their prized asset, and will likely rebuke any future bid from Barcelona that may come there way.
But, as Liverpool have discovered in the past, the Catalan giants do have a knack of eventually getting their own way where transfers are concerned.
