Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is reportedly adamant the club’s priority should be signing Manchester United star Paul Pogba.
Zidane and Pogba have made no secret of their respect for one another in the past but Los Blancos failed to prize him away from United last summer.
However, the French boss is determined to finally land the midfielder either in January or the summer, even rejecting the chance to sign two other stars; Tottenham ’s Christian Eriksen or Napoli’s Fabian Ruiz.
Club president Florentino Perez’s offer to Zidane for the talented duo has been met with a fierce response from Zidane.
“Zidane asks Paul Pogba every day. In Real Madrid, they insist that they can have Fabian or Eriksen, which could even come in winter. Zidane only wants Pogba and this has generated a lot of trouble,” a top journalist privy to the happenings said.
Zidane insists Pogba is the only player he sees that would add genuine quality to the centre of his midfield with Real level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
However, United seem reluctant to consider selling Pogba with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also an admirer of his work.
Eriksen would prove an easier, and cheaper, option for Real with his contract up at the end of the season and the Dane seemingly having no intention of signing a new deal.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Ruiz has captured the eye of several top clubs for his displays at Napoli.
Ruiz was the star of the show last summer as Spain were crowned Under-21 European champions for the fifth time.
He completed his move from Real Betis to the Serie A side back in 2018 and has gone from strength to strength playing in the Champions League.
But he will not come cheap – Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis admitting last month he wouldn’t consider selling below £155m.