Incoming Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has reportedly ruled the club out of the race for Juventus superstar Paul Pogba's signature, leaving Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho to pounce, according to Manchester Evening News.
The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from Serie A this summer with the likes of Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Barcelona all interested in signing the France international.
But both Manchester clubs are known to have the midfielder high on their wishlists, with a reported figure of £70m doing nothing to deter them.
However, reports have claimed that incoming boss Pep Guardiola has ceased the chase for the Juventus number 10, leaving long-time rival Jose Mourinho and Manchester United to set about trying to persuade the former United man to return to Old Trafford.
There has been speculation that Pogba had been the subject of a £60m bid from the former Real Madrid boss this summer.
But Manchester City pulling out of the running has reportedly given the United hierarchy a bit of impetus to sign Pogba after reports suggested United officials were unwilling to participate in a bidding war for their former player last summer.
But with Mourinho now taking the reins, a fresh pursuit for Pogba is understood to be already in motion with the signing of a midfielder high on the Portuguese's agenda.
Guardiola has already added former Dortmund playmaker Ilkay Gundogan to his midfield ranks, but Mourinho is understood to be after a player that fits in the mould of his former players Nemanja Matic and Chelsea legend Claude Makelele.