Man Utd want Juventus’ former Red Devil back at Old Trafford

Manchester United are one of three top Premier League sides linked with Juventus star Paul Pogba, who left Old Trafford at the end of his contract 17 months ago.

Manchester City – who are 5/2 favourites to win the Premier League – are also keeping tabs on the 20-year-old, with Pogba’s French compatriot and City’s elite development manager claiming his club made a mistake when they failed to snap the player up on a free at the end of the 2011/12 season.

Arsenal have been mentioned as another possible destination for Pogba, who could be angling for a pay rise at the Juventus Stadium after showing great form for club and country since the start of this season.

The 6ft 3in midfielder has been an ever present for the Old Lady in 2013/14, scoring four Serie A goals and standing out in the centre of the park alongside football luminaries Claudio Marchisio, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo.

Pogba captained the French team to FIFA Under-20 World Cup success over the summer and has nailed down a starting spot in Didier Deschamps’ senior side since, scoring on his fourth appearance for Les Bleus against Belarus in a World Cup qualifier in September.

United  – who are 9/2 fourth-favourites to retain their Premier League crown this season – caused a stir back in 2009 when picking up the then 16-year-old Pogba from French Ligue 2 side Le Havre.

The Normandy club accused the Old Trafford giants of ‘tapping up’ the youngster, but United were cleared of any wrongdoing and agreed to pay compensation in lieu of an appeal.

Pogba made just seven senior appearances under Sir Alex Ferguson and blamed the former United boss for not giving him more games when there was clearly a deficit of quality midfielders at the club.

With the champions still struggling to compete with the best in the middle of the park – and seemingly ruing the £27.5m summer purchase of Marouane Fellaini – manager David Moyes is thought to be preparing a package to tempt Pogba back to his old stomping ground.