THE outcome of Zinedine Zidane’s single-minded pursuit of Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba will likely define the former galactico’s second spell as Real Madrid coach.
Zidane is so determined to get Pogba that he has gone to war with club president Florentino Perez to ensure Gareth Bale leaves to free up funds, as part of a broader project to reshape the entire set-up at the Bernabeu more to his liking.
The first inkling of Zidane’s interest in Pogba came back in April when he used a run of the mill news conference to clearly signal his interest in signing “a truly different player… a midfielder who can defend, attack, do everything.”
New @unibet Vive la révolution https://t.co/y6ihjr1ilK
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) April 2, 2019
Such a strong message surprised many in and around the club. Influential Bernabeu figure Jorge Valdano, rumoured to be again working as an unofficial advisor to Florentino, raised concerns over whether Pogba was a good fit for the team’s midfield. The feeling then was that the 2018 World Cup winner was not among the club hierarchy’s primary targets. Into the summer, and Pogba and his agent Mino Raiola did their part in preparing an exit from Old Trafford. But with United standing firm in their valuation of around €200m, Madrid concentrated on other arrivals through the first weeks of the window.
Apparently upset at how things were developing, Zidane used a ‘transfer summit’ last week with Perez and club director general Jose Angel Sanchez to ask them to up their efforts to sign his fellow countryman. But was told that another big outlay was impossible given €300m had already been spent on new players.
Perez also used that meeting in Montreal to tell Zidane it would be difficult to move Bale on, and afterwards, club sources were briefing that the coach had accepted he may have to give the Welshman a further chance in the XI.
That possibility was blown up on Saturday evening in Houston, when Zidane publicly shoved Bale towards the door, saying it would be “best for everyone” if he left “as soon as possible”.
Zidane: "We hope he leaves soon, if tomorrow it’d be better!”
Bale: pic.twitter.com/W4NQgZXO3F
— Unibet (@unibet) July 22, 2019
That unsurprisingly led the player’s agent Jonathan Barnett call the former galactico “a disgrace”. But Zidane is unlikely to have been too worried, especially as the same Madrid senior sources were now forced to defend their coach's position with briefings claiming Bale had been showing a bad attitude ever since reporting back for pre-season.
Zidane’s startling outburst also pushed Madrid towards accepting the idea of allowing Bale to move to China for free, to at least save the club €100m in salary [and taxes] over the next three years, although it remains to be seen whether Bale and Barnett will agree to that.
Meanwhile, reporters close to the camp, such as El Pais’ Diego Torres, were now reporting “maximum tension” between coach and president in private – with their relationship very different now than before.
Real Madrid would be willing to let Gareth Bale leave this summer to China for free, as they look to unblock a tense situation at the Bernabeu, a source at the club has told ESPN FC. pic.twitter.com/kZBzsFYXGA
— Aytalksoccer (@aytalksoccer) July 23, 2019
In his first spell on the bench, while winning those three consecutive Champions League trophies, Zidane regularly talked about how he was “just the coach” who went along with club policy set from above by “el presi”.
However since he accepted Florentino’s pleas to return and rescue their awful 2018/19, the Frenchman knows he has more power to mould the squad and club set-up to what he wants himself. Further evidence of this came with the hiring of France’s World Cup 2018 fitness coach Gregory Dupont to replace previously successful fitness coach Antonio Pintus this summer.
Another keen observer of Bernabeu politics is former Blancos striker and sporting director Predrag Mijatovic, who said on Monday night’s El Larguero radio show that: “If Zidane insists with Pogba, I believe you have to do everything possible to keep him happy.” Mijatovic added that while Pogba was “a very good player”, he had “doubts” over whether he could be a “fundamental” cog in Madrid’s midfield.
It looks clear that the most obviously affected by Pogba’s arrival would be current Ballon D’Or Luka Modric, who turns 34 in September, especially as Toni Kroos signed a new long-term deal at the end of last season. Pogba replacing Modric in the centre of the park would make Madrid a more direct, athletic team. And Zidane has spoken publicly about how he plans to change things tactically, without going into too many details.
Real Madrid are planning to use the money generated from sales of Isco and Marco Asensio to fund a move for Paul Pogba. [ESPN] pic.twitter.com/BJ2E01Co7U
— Transfer News (@TransfersLlVE) July 20, 2019
But there are big risks involved – both as Modric’s ball-playing has been so key to all the team’s recent successes and off-the-field the Croatian is probably the most popular and influential player at the club. If Madrid do not start the new season playing well, and winning games, Pogba would be the obvious target to blame for the Bernabeu’s ever-demanding fans and pundits.
So the next few weeks will tell a lot about who really rules the roost currently at the Bernabeu. Should Madrid instead end up adding another midfielder, such as Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen, it will be a sign that 'el presi' remains in ultimate control. Should Pogba be unveiled as the team's next galactico, the coach will have won out, and a new Madrid team will take shape based around Zidane's ideas.
But whatever happens, given all the personalities involved, the fall-out from this week's public and private power struggle is likely to be important, and long-lasting.
