Manchester United expect Real Madrid to step up their interest in Paul Pogba in the coming days, report the Daily Mirror.
Gareth Bale is on the verge of completing a lucrative move to the Chinese Super League, which will leave Madrid with substantially more room for manoeuvre financially.
The Wales international earns £600,000 a week at the Santiago Bernabeu and there were fears that a failure to sell him would prevent Madrid from launching a bid for Pogba.
However, the La Liga giants are now ready to make a concerted push to sign the French World Cup winner, who is thought to be keen to move to the Spanish capital.
United do not want to sell Pogba, particularly as the Premier League season begins in less than two weeks.
Nevertheless, Madrid are increasingly confident that they can strike a deal before the English transfer window closes on August 8.
READ MORE
Ranked! The 101 greatest football players of the last 25 years: full list
Sead Kolasinac and 6 other footballers who acted as real-life superheroes
27 essential Fantasy Premier League tips from old winners and experts
‘The pure simplicity of the way Slot has managed the squad is probably the biggest thing I could say about him. It’s not broken, so let’s get on with it’: Liverpool legend full of admiration for Jurgen Klopp's successor at Anfield
‘I trained at Spurs and thought they’d give me a chance. But I received a letter thanking me but saying they didn’t think I was good enough – I was gutted’: How Tottenham missed out on signing Wales legend John Toshack
