Juventus are set to offer Paul Pogba a new contract in a bid to stave off interest from Manchester United, Goal has learned.
The France international’s former club have been linked with a world-record transfer bid worth around £100 million, which includes a salary worth in the region of £16m per year.
But Juventus are set to meet with the 23-year-old’s agent, Mino Raiola, in the coming days in the hope of extending Pogba's stay in Turin until 2021, rather than watching him head back to the club he left in 2012.
The Bianconeri look set to offer a deal worth between €6m and €7m per year, which marks a significant rise on his current €4.5m-a-year contract which currently expires in 2019.
The Serie A giants are hopeful, despite their own offer falling well short of the money on offer at Old Trafford, that the good relationship with Pogba will act in their favour.
Goal sources insist the increased financial package on offer to Pogba has no impact on interest in Gonzalo Higuain, with Juve prepared to meet the €94m (£79m) buyout clause in the Napoli striker's contract.
Raiola has previously shown a willingness to work with the Italian champions on a new deal, telling La Gazzetta dello Sport in March: “Juventus and Paul are on the same page here.
“Juve won't accept anything less than €100m for his sale and I agree with that, though he is more than happy to remain with the Bianconeri. We are even ready to sign a new contract.”
Real Madrid were also keen on Pogba earlier in the summer but are understood to have baulked at Juventus's valuation, leaving United as the sole interested party.
However, Pogba’s dissatisfaction with United's handling of his development during his previous three-year spell could persuade the player to stay on in the peninsula.
Pogba this week admitted in an interview with ESPN that he saw Manchester United as “my first family”, but added of Juventus: “That’s my team, my family. It’s where I am playing.”
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- Goal