It's Paul Pogba mania.
(Paul Pogba has become Europe's most wanted man this season - image via Alex Livesy/Getty Images)
The hype is understandable, but not totally justifiable. The Juventus midfielder doesn't have a particularly great record in Serie A this season. He's scored 8 goals and notched up two assists in 24 appearances for his side this term, underwhelming for a man considered to be "the next big thing", and his pass accuracy rate of 83% isn't fantastic. Statistics narrate an interesting chapter of every story, but never the entire thing.
The truth is that football fans have an obsession with reincarnations. "The next Messi" and "the next Ronaldo" are overused titles thrown around to attract attention and get people talking. If there's a footballer that exists who people believe is going to be the next Messi, I'm probably going to click on that link and see what it's all about, but rarely do these "next" guys ever live up to the hype. I remember when Tom Cleverley was described as "the next Paul Scholes" and, well, look at him now.
According to many, Pogba is "the next Patrick Vieira". That makes you sit up, but it still doesn't explain the hype. Geoffrey Kondogbia has also been likened to the Arsenal legend, but he's not become the face of every back-page in Europe despite probably having similar amounts of ability.
(Pogba has been likened to French compatriot and Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira - image via arsenaltsn.com)
Kondogbia also doesn't have an agent called Mino Raiola. The man who famously told Zlatan Ibrahimovic to "go f*** himself" is one of the real characters on the football agent's scene. The Swedish striker describes him as a "genius" in his autobiography, explaining how the tubby 47-year-old attended his first meeting with the PSG striker wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Raiola is unconventional, but he has been involved in transfers totalling more than £400m during his 22-year career. He's one of the major reasons why Pogba's popularity has spiked this season.
It comes as no surprise to learn that many of Raiola's clients are considered to be the eccentrics among most footballers. Zlatan, Mario Balotelli, Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba are just four of the Italian's 26 clients, players that have been involved in transfers totalling over £200m in the last ten years, and Raiola has begun salivating over his next big pay-check as the summer approaches.
Paul Pogba is the most high-profile name available on the transfer market this summer. Juventus will not sell their man for anything less than £50m according to various reports, but they shouldn't be selling at all. Considering the fact that the Frenchman has uttered absolutely nothing in relation to his future next season, one gets the feeling that his gluttonous agent is pulling the strings in the pantomime-like saga.
At 22-years-old, Paul Pogba already has what many young footballers fantasize over in the early stages of their careers. Juventus are an illustrious club that have appeared in the Champions League final seven times in their 117 year history. They'll appear in their eighth on June 6th, and Pogba will almost certainly feature in their starting line up. If Juventus manage to collect their third Champions League trophy in two-and-a-half weeks time, it will be their eighth major piece of silverware in the last ten years and Pogba will lift the most prestigious cup in European football a year younger than two-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo was when he first won the medal.
(Juventus will play in their eighth Champions League final on June 6th after beating Real Madrid over two legs in the semi-final - image via Alex Livesy/Getty Images)
Success, a place in the starting line up and the appreciation of a monumental fan base is guaranteed for Pogba at the Juventus Stadium, a fact his agent should be highlighting rather than shielding from his client.
Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona are believed to be the front-runners for the midfielder's signature and will offer him wages of up to £220,000-a-week to join their respective clubs, but allowing cash to guide his career path at 22-years-old and with first team football guaranteed at a thriving football club could be a horrific mistake for Pogba.
Gary Neville called for football agents to act as advisers in a compelling discussion with Jamie Carragher on Sky Sport's Monday Night Football episode two days ago, but his hopes are false. Football agents and football players no longer operate in unison, but players must show some intelligence and think about their careers rather than their representative's lust for cash.
Pogba was regarded as a hot prospect at Manchester United, but the club could not offer him the first team football he desperately craved. Juventus came in for the 18-year-old in 2011, gave him what he wanted and facilitated his progression into one of the most exciting footballers on the European scene today. It's something the young man should remember when the transfer window opens on July 1st.
