Failing to sign Paul Pogba could cost Zidane his job
Given how unbalanced Real Madrid look before the season opener against Celta Vigo we have to assume that more transfer business will be done.
Unfortunately, things do not look as if they have gone to plan for Zinedine Zidane, who has failed to offload Bale and James.
We all know that Zidane was looking to bring in Paul Pogba and build the team around the World Cup winner, yet he has failed in his attempt to get Real Madrid President Florentino Perez to agree to it.
This could now spell serious trouble for Zidane and his tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu.
When he was brought in last March his first job was to clean up the mess created by Julen Lopetegui and Santi Solari.
Full of optimism and eager to get started, Zidane spoke about a second project and how the current squad needed to be shaken up.
“We will change things, for sure,” Zidane was quoted saying repeatedly over the first few weeks back.
He made it clear that to make Real Madrid the greatest team again the club would have to bring in the likes of Eden Hazard, Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba.
For him to do this, underperforming big-name players like Gareth Bale and some of the older long-serving players would have to leave.
Back in May, veteran Bernabeu figure Jorge Valdano said: “Zidane’s return was almost a heroic act.”
“He knew it was risky, but he took that risk in exchange for having the power to design the squad for next season.”
When Chelsea’s Eden Hazard arrived early in the transfer window it looked as though everything was on track and that Zidane was going to achieve what he had set out to do.
Not long after the Belgium internationals arrival things took a setback when Mbappe publicly declared he would not be leaving Paris Saint Germain.
Despite the setback with Mbappe, Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba was hinting about a move to the Spanish capital, saying: “Madrid is a dream for anyone.”
Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola also played his part suggesting that a move might be on the cards when he said: “Everyone within United, from the coach to the owner, knows Paul wants to move on.”
Early in the transfer window, Zidane managed to get rid of Dani Ceballos, Marcos Llorente, Sergio Reguilon, Borja Mayoral and Jesus Vallejo, players who at one point were highly regarded but did not fit in with Zidane’s plans.
This now left Zidane needing to sell Gareth Bale, Mariano Diaz, and James Rodriguez.
The problem here was that they were all at the midpoints in their footballing careers and on big salaries, making it very difficult for Madrid to find interested buyers.
Now having already spent 300€ million on Hazard, Ferland Mendy and forward Luka Jovic the club did not have the cash needed to sign Pogba.
While on the clubs pre-season tour Perez and club director general Jose Angel Sanchez told Zidane the money was not there to sign Pogba.
The Frenchman reacted by trying to force Gareth Bale to find a new club.
That did not work with Zidane now looking as though he will not only not get Pogba but be forced to play Bale a player who just a month or so earlier said: “it would be better for everyone if he would leave.”
With a deal for Pogba dead in the water, Perez now seems to be pushing for Neymar and apparently out of nowhere has the money available for the Brazilian.
If Neymar should arrive what is Zidane to do with Hazard? They both play in virtually the same position.
After having been very optimistic at the start of the season, I have a feeling that we are in for a bit of a rough ride that could see Zidane throw the towel in as his building plan for the club collapses.
