Manchester United officials are in Italy this week to negotiate a deal with Juventus for Paul Pogba, according to sources close to the club.

The French international has been strongly linked with a world record transfer to United this summer with speculation intensifying over the past couple of days.

It was reported earlier in the week that the Italian champions rejected United’s initial offer of £87 million up front with a further £13 million in add-ons.  ESPN are now reporting that a delegation from the club have flown out to Italy in an attempt to bring the 23-year-old back to Old Trafford.

Pogba left the Red Devils on a free transfer in 2012 after getting very limited first-team football under Sir Alex Ferguson.  He moved to Juventus where he has won the Scudetto in each of his four seasons with the club and become one of the best footballers in the world.

The box-to-box midfielder is widely-expected to leave Turin this summer after the club turned down offers 12 months ago.  It appears Pogba has accomplished all he can with the Old Lady and is now looking to challenge himself elsewhere.

Real Madrid had earlier been interested in acquiring the star before manager Zinedine Zidane confirmed the 2016 UEFA Champions League winners would not be proceeding with an offer.

Yesterday, Manchester United released their provisional squad numbers for the 2016-17 season with the number 6 shirt being left free – adding further fuel to the fire that Pogba would be on his way to Old Trafford.

It has been one of this summer’s biggest transfer stories and if ESPN‘s reports are accurate then Paul Pogba could become a Manchester United player in the coming days.  It would be a huge statement from the Premier League giants in the title race.