Why we failed to sign Man United's Pogba - Real Madrid
Football
By
Mirror
| Sep 11, 2019
Florentino Perez has opened up on Real Madrid's decision not to pursue the signings of Paul Pogba and Neymar this summer.
Real were linked with Manchester United midfielder Pogba throughout the summer, with the Frenchman said to be keen to make the move to the Bernabeu.
Zinedine Zidane remains a big fan of the Frenchman but United's £180m price tag meant a deal was never really on the cards.
The Spanish giants also emerged as late contenders to sign Neymar, with Real battling Barcelona to land the Brazilian.
But like Pogba he stayed put, with PSG demanding another world-record fee for the 27-year-old.
Perez met with Real board members and partners on Monday to discuss last season and his plans moving forward, reports MARCA.
Real had a disappointing campaign last time out and lost their hold on the Champions League, forcing Zidane to spend big this summer.
In came Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, Ferland Mendy and many others and Perez admits he was reluctant to do more business to sign the likes of Pogba and Neymar.
"We have never invested so much in players even though we already had a great squad," he said.
When asked about the deal for Pogba, Perez is believed to have stated United did not want to sell while he suggested the Neymar speculation came from the media, rather than the club.
Mundo Deportivo adds that Perez followed Neymar's transfer saga 'from a distance'.
The Real supremo was also pushed on his plans for next summer amid links to Kylian Mbappe, while he refused to rule out a potential move for Bruno Fernandes.
"We are working to bring great players in the future," he is reported to have added.