Real Madrid ‘plotting summer swoop for Paul Pogba and consider delaying move for Eduardo Camavinga’

Real Madrid‘s interest in signing Paul Pogba could delay their plans to snap up highly-rated Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, according to reports. 

It was reported earlier this week that Manchester United would be open to selling midfielder Pogba for a reduced fee of £53million, despite the Frenchman’s contract ending in the summer of 2022. 

Zinedine Zidane’s Madrid are keen admirers of promising 17-year-old Camavinga, who is playing Champions League football with Rennes and also made his France debut over the summer. 

Real Madrid’s interest in Paul Pogba (right) could delay their deal for Eduardo Camavinga (left)

Manchester United have reportedly lowered their asking price for Pogba (above) to £53million

But according to Spanish news outlet AS, United reducing the value for Pogba has alerted Real Madrid, with Zidane preferring 27-year-old Pogba to the teenage Camavinga as a transfer target. 

Pogba has been struggling for minutes under Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with the French midfielder starting just one out of his last four Premier League matches for the Red Devils. 

The Frenchman has sat on the substitutes’ bench along with new £40million signing Donny van de Beek in recent games, with Solskajer preferring a double pivot of Scott McTominay and Fred behind creative fulcrum Bruno Fernandes. 

Pogba has sat on the bench for Manchester United in recent matches and could leave the club

Highly-rated 17-year-old Camavinga (above) – who plays at Rennes-  is another Madrid target

Speculation grew about Pogba’s future at Old Trafford last month when he revealed it was his long-term ‘dream’ to play for Real Madrid and also discussed his admiration for Zidane. 

The 27-year-old told reporters while on international duty: ‘Yes, all football players would love to play for Real Madrid. It is a dream for me, why not one day?

‘I am in Manchester and I love my club. I am playing in Manchester, I’m having fun and I want to do everything to put the club where it deserves it. I will give everything to the max, like my teammates.’ 

However, Madrid have a long list of transfer targets, with the club understood to be preparing all energy and resources into signing Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain next summer.

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is known to be a long-term admirer of the midfielder

Mbappe said of Zidane in May: ‘My first idol was Zidane for everything he achieved with the national team. Then it was Cristiano [Ronaldo]. He has won a lot and is still a winner after so much success.

‘Both have left their mark on the history of football and I want to leave my own chapter in the books.’

Mbappe’s contract at PSG runs until the summer of 2022 and so far he has resisted talks of an extension.