REAL IN POG SWOOP

Madrid to hijack United bid

PAUL POGBA’S world record move to Manchester United is set to be hijacked by Real Madrid. United have spent months working on a staggering £100m deal to lure the France and Juventus ace back to Old Trafford. Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward flew to Monaco last month to hold advanced talks with Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola.

Woodward has worked closely with Raiola this summer to secure deals for two of the agent’s other clients, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

The Premier League giants have agreed personal terms with Pogba

(left) and were confident of negotiating a fee with Juve.

But yesterday it emerged Real are aiming to snatch him from under the noses of former boss Jose Mourinho (right).

Boss Zinedine Zidane knows his fellow Frenchman well and has made no secret

Mission

Real president Florentino Perez said then he would never do business with United again and now seems on a mission to beat them to Pogba’s signature.

Mourinho could be left with no choice but to turn his attentions to Pogba’s fellow French ace Blaise Matuidi if he misses out on his prime target.

Paris St-Germain’s Matuidi, 29, helped France to the final of Euro 2016 and is valued at around £75m.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will train with his new United team-mates for the first time today ahead of his expected debut against Galatasaray on Saturday. of his admiration for the 23-year-old. Zidane said: “I don’t know if he will come. Until August 31 anything can happen.

“Everyone is interested in Pogba. He is a great footballer and when you are Madrid, you always want the best. But now he is not a Real Madrid player, he is a Juventus player. I can’t say any more.”

Real are willing to beat the wages United have offered Pogba and can also offer him Champions League football next season.

The two clubs fell out last summer over the proposed transfer of David De Gea to the Bernabeu, a deal which collapsed at the 11th hour.