Manchester United have asked to sign Toni Kroos in order to sanction a departure to Real Madrid for Paul Pogba, according to reports from Spain.
The Frenchman told reporters back in June that he wanted a “new challenge” elsewhere following a frustrating 2018-19 campaign at Old Trafford.
Zinedine Zidane is said to have viewed Pogba as his primary summer target, but Man United refused to budge on their £160m valuation of the midfielder.
According to El Chiringuito, Real want to push for the 26-year-old once again in January and are keen to include players in the deal, which has prompted United to demand Kroos in return.
The German holding midfielder, now 29, was extremely close to joining United in 2014, only for Louis van Gaal to reportedly pull the plug on the deal after David Moyes had been informed that Kroos would join before he was sacked in April of that year.
Pogba’s contract expires in 2021, which means that next year is likely to be the only time when United could get good money back for their most valuable player, who you suspect has already resolved to leave the club in 2020. His agent, Mino Raiola, will most likely play a big role in forcing a move to the Bernabeu.