MANCHESTER UNITED have moved into pole position to lure Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford in a £78m deal.
WANTED: United are keen on bringing Pogba back to Old Trafford
It has emerged United's bitter rivals and neighbours Manchester City have ruled out attempts to sign the France midfielder.
It has left the door open for United to make their move for the Juventus ace.
Pogba, 23, is Jose Mourinho's main midfield target, with the Portuguese determined to build a title-winning team at Old Trafford following his appointment as United manager last month.
While Pogba favours a move to La Liga should he leave Juve this summer, United remain confident of persuading him to return to Manchester.
Pogba left United in 2012 when former boss Sir Alex Ferguson decided to let him go to Turin.
Fergie refused to approve a lucrative contract for Pogba, then 19, in order to keep the player at Old Trafford.
He criticised agent Mino Raiola after urging Pogba not to 'chase money' at that stage of his career.
But the decision proved wrong after Pogba went on to emerge as one of the finest midfielders in world football.
He has won the Serie A title in each of his four seasons at the club and Mourinho wants United to move swiftly to negotiate a deal with the Italian champions.
City had been keen to sign Pogba last summer before abandoning their efforts due to the huge cost of the star's transfer fee and £200,000-a-week wage demands.
The club's Abu Dhabi owners are prepared to back Guardiola with huge funds to sign his list of targets.
But the Spaniard has made it clear that he is prepared to chase other options than Pogba.
Mourinho tried to sign Pogba while managing Chelsea last summer but failed to secure a late deal for him.
It would signal an embarrassing and expensive U-turn by United if they re-sign Pogba, but the club are still prepared to break the British transfer record to tempt Juve into selling the player.
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