Paul Pogba is worth the £100m Man Utd are ready to pay for him, says Phil Neville
By Michael Kelleher
Last Updated: 03/08/16 8:44pm
Paul Pogba is worth the world-record £100m transfer fee Manchester United are ready to pay Juventus for him, according to Phil Neville.
Sky Sports News HQ understand Pogba's world record £100m transfer to United is nearing completion and is expected to be finalised once the Frenchman returns from holiday in the United States.
The 23-year-old left United on a free transfer in 2012 after not being given what he felt were enough first-team opportunities by Sir Alex Ferguson and joined Juventus, where he has won the Serie A title in each of his four seasons at the club.
Now United are ready to shatter the world transfer record set by Real Madrid when they paid Tottenham £85.3m for Gareth Bale to bring Pogba back to Old Trafford.
When asked it would be money well spent on Pogba, Neville told Sky Sports News HQ: "I think so. I think you are getting one of the best midfield players in the world.
"I think you are getting someone who is not going to dominate a game on the ball like a Xabi Alonso or a Paul Scholes but is going to go from box to box.
"His physicality is always something that has stood out. Even when he was younger at the academy at Man United, he was always bigger than everybody else, he was always quicker than everybody else, he was always more powerful.
"He will give the Man United midfield that power and that stature that I think they have missed for the last two or three seasons."
This Premier League season is expected to be one of the most competitive in recent memory - a fact which illustrated by the fact that reigning champions Leicester City are only seventh favourites to win the title.
Neville is not sure seven teams will be in the title mix next May but he does believe it will be much more than a two-horse race.
"Seven is probably stretching it. I don't think there will be seven [teams involved in the title race] but I do think there will be probably three, four, maybe five," Neville said..
"I think this Premier League, this season is probably going to be the best on and off the pitch because you have got the head-to-heads with the managers and obviously the 11 versus 11 on the pitch.
"Teams are recruiting well. The financial backing is there to go out and get the best players in the world.
"If you look at Man United as an example, to go from fifth to being a Premier League winner is difficult but the recruitment that Jose [Mourinho] has done already suggests they will be challenging for the title.
"It looks like Pep [Guardiola] at Man City is just beginning to flex his muscles in the transfer market so they will be there or thereabouts.
"So I think Man United, Man City and I think Liverpool will be there or thereabouts. As a Man United fan, Jurgen Klopp worries me a little bit. He is a good manager.
"And I have got a sneaky feeling for Tottenham again. I am a massive fan of Pochettino. He is doing the right things there. He has got a stable, solid squad and I think they will continue to improve."