Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/702141
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 10 JULY 2016 51 Sport FOOTBALL Paul Pogba move from Juventus not imminent Manchester United's interest in Paul Pogba is genuine but attempts to sign him have barely begun SPECULATION linking Pogba with a world-record £100million return to United has increased since new manager Jose Mour- inho indicated the club were ready to focus full attention on a fourth and final summer transfer target. That has been widely assumed to mean France and Juventus mid- fielder Pogba, and reports have now emerged claiming United have reached agreement with the player's agent over pay. They go on to suggest this now puts United in a position to lodge an official bid with Juve. But, while it is understood Unit- ed are interested in the 23-year- old, who left Old Trafford on a free transfer four years ago, the pros- pect of any deal is some way off. It is not thought any discussions have taken place with Juventus - and the Italian club are reportedly reluctant to sell. He is contracted until 2019 and could be offered a new deal in Turin. Real Madrid have also been linked with the Frenchman. United have already signed three players since Mourinho was ap- pointed in May - former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ar- menia playmaker Henrikh Mkhi- taryan and Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly. Paul Pogba Bielsa blames Lazio for exit MARCELO Bielsa, who pulled out of coaching Lazio in a shock move just 48 hours after his ap- pointment was announced, has blamed the club for his exit, say- ing they had failed to sign a sin- gle player. The Argentine called Lazio boss Claudio Lotito overnight Thurs- day to say he had decided not to come to Rome, triggering threats of legal action from the Italian club. In a curt letter to the Serie A club dated July 7, which appeared in Argentine media on Saturday, Bielsa said: "It had been decided and made clear... that reinforce- ments were necessary, taking into account the departure of 18 play- ers from last season. "It was agreed, as an essential condition to the implementa- tion of the work program, that we would sign at least four footballers before July 5, with the aim that they would participate in pre-sea- son training. "To this date, not one player has been signed. For my method of working we needed to have these players arrive in a timely manner to train." Bielsa also complained that Lazio announced he was to join the club knowing full well that the conditions he had demanded had not been met. Bielsa, touted for the coaching role left open by Gerardo Martino at the Argentina national team, stressed in the letter that he had "no other work offer in hand". Struggling Lazio finished eighth last season, a long way behind city rivals Roma. The club had released a press statement on Wednesday an- nouncing to much fanfare that it had snapped up the former Argen- tina and Chile coach. On Friday it threatened legal action after revealing Bielsa had pulled out of the deal. With pre-season training about to begin, Simone Inzaghi will step in, having taken temporary charge in the second half of last season. Marcelo Bielsa has blamed Lazio for his shock exit from the club Klinsmann 'in England talks' JURGEN Klinsmann is in discus- sions with England to become their new manager, according to Germa- ny general manager and close friend Oliver Bierhoff. The Three Lions are looking for a manager to replace Roy Hodgson af- ter his exit in the wake of England's dismal Euro 2016 campaign and former Germany and current USA boss Klinsmann is one of several re- ported candidates. The 51-year-old ex-Tottenham striker was at the helm of the Ger- many side when they began their re- naissance in 2006 and Bierhoff says he would be a "good fit" for England. Bierhoff, who was appointed to his current role by Klinsmann, let slip the apparent developments in a post-tournament briefing in Paris after Germany were beaten in the Euro 2016 semi-final by France. He was quoted in several national newspapers as saying: "Since the ar- rival of Jurgen Klinsmann - who I think is in discussions with England - we have also given the national team a certain pride, atmosphere and organisation. "The success of the story is the high quality but also the good or- ganisation and good atmosphere we have in the group." On Klinsmann's suitability for the England role, he added: "He would be a good fit. We started in 2004 to- gether and he's not always, how can I say, nice to handle because he wants to change [things]. "But he brings motivation. He has the courage to make difficult deci- sions and, perhaps, you need some- thing like this."