Manchester City hope to trump Barcelona and PSG by offering Yaya Toure as part of Paul Pogba deal

Manchester City are prepared to offer Juventus Yaya Toure in an attempt to soften a deal for midfielder Paul Pogba.

Paul Pogba is attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Manchester City, Barcelona, and PSG. Massimo Pinca / AP Photo

Manchester City are prepared to offer unsettled midfielder Yaya Toure to Juventus as part of the deal they hope will bring Paul Pogba to the Etihad Stadium, according to The Guardian.

City’s interest in the France midfielder is well known as the deposed Premier League champions attempt to bolster their squad with younger players.

City representatives already have visited Turin to open talks for a potential transfer for Pogba.

The Premier League side face stiff competition to add Pogba, 22, to their side. Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United apparently also are pursuing him.

The Guardian claims City have offered Toure to Juventus in an attempt to smooth a deal which could be worth around €100m (Dh413m).

It is also being reported that City could make available Samir Nasri, Stevan Jovetic, Aleksander Kolarov, and Edin Dzeko should Juventus wish to include more players in the deal.

Pogba’s first choice appears to be a switch to Spain with either Real Madrid or Barcelona, although Madrid have denied interest in making a move while Barcelona’s transfer ban makes their situation complicated. If they were to sign Pogba, they might have to loan him back to Juventus for one season.

City will hope money talks and are prepared to make Pogba the club’s highest-paid player, with wages topping €16m a year.

As part of City’s drive to build a new squad, they have also indicated interest in Wolfsburg playmaker Kevin De Bruyne.

The former Chelsea player has been in fine form for the Bundesliga side this season, and his agent, Patrick De Koster, has revealed City’s interest.

De Koster, told talkSPORT he has a meeting with Klaus Allofs, Wolfsburg’s sporting director, next week “to find out what they want to do”.

De Koster added: “I will know if they want to offer Kevin a new deal or allow him to move. Manchester City, Bayern Munich and PSG have made informal contact with me, but there have been no official offers.

“The situation has now changed with Wolfsburg qualifying for the Champions League next season, so wherever he plays next season it will be in the Champions League.

“If Wolfsburg decide to sell Kevin, then he will have a choice of clubs who can win their domestic league and challenge for the Champions League, as well. The choice is his.”

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