Pogba repeat: Man Utd preparing £130m bid to sign “best CM in the world”
Manchester United have certainly splashed the cash over the last few years, although it hasn’t brought them anywhere near the success they experienced under Sir Alex Ferguson.
They have spent around £2bn since their greatest manager of all time retired in 2013, and whilst not every signing has been a success, some have.
The most expensive purchase in that time was Paul Pogba, their club record signing. He cost £89m from Juventus, which was also a world record fee at the time, in 2016. He helped the club lift the Europa League and Carabao Cup, showcasing some spellbinding technical ability.
Now, United might be ready to make another Pogba-esque signing and smash their transfer record again.
Man United target their new Pogba
There have been several reports which suggest United are going to break their transfer record in 2026.
England duo Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton are two of the strongest links, both of whom could cost £100m.
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However, according to reports in Spain, the Red Devils are ‘prepared to offer’ a club record fee to sign another England international, Jude Bellingham.
It would not be easy to tempt the Real Madrid star away from the Spanish capital, but United are said to be ‘determined to make a statement in the market.’
Indeed, it would be a huge statement from Ruben Amorim’s side if they were to sign Bellingham. It would obviously not be a cheap deal to do, with United reportedly set to lay an astronomical £130m on the table in a bid to bring the Birmingham-born superstar to Old Trafford.
Why signing Bellingham would be such a statement
Few midfielders across the globe are better than Madrid number 5, Bellingham. According to Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes, he is the “best midfielder in the world,” which is high praise indeed but it’s certainly accurate judging by his numbers in recent years.
The 2025/26 campaign has been slower for the Englishman. He missed the beginning with a shoulder injury, and since returning to full fitness, has contributed nine goals and assists in 20 appearances.
It is important to discuss his contributions for Los Blancos throughout his time at the club. Operating all over the pitch, he has found the back of the net on 43 occasions and assisted a further 32 times. His output has been ridiculous, particularly considering he is a midfielder.
His underlying numbers are extraordinary, too. Compared to other midfielders in Europe over the last 365 days, he’s created 1.89 chances and completed 1.75 take-ons per 90 minutes. That places him in the top 9% and 1% of those metrics.
Bellingham key stats in last 365 days
Stat (per 90)
Number
Percentile
Goals & assists
0.55
98th
Key passes
1.89
91st
Progressive passes
7.51
92nd
Take-ons completed
1.75
99th
Progressive carries
2.57
91st
Stats from FBref
It is easy to see how the 22-year-old could be United’s new version of Pogba. Not only would the Madrid star cost a club-record fee like the Frenchman, but they would also be joining from two of Europe’s heavyweights, Los Blancos and Juve, in Pogba’s case.
However, they are stylistically similar too. Pogba was also famed for his goalscoring ability from midfield, bagging 39 times in a United shirt. He could score all types of goals, including long-range screamers, poachers’ finishes and headers. That certainly rings true for Bellingham.
Not only that, but the technical brilliance that both possess is a clear similarity. It is not uncommon for both players to be seen dancing away from an opponent when under pressure and away into space, or pulling off an incredible piece of skill to control the ball.
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Someone who links the two players together is Zinedine Zidane, connected to Bellingham via Real Madrid and Pogba via Juve and France. He has lauded both in the past, calling his countryman a player who “knows how to do everything on the field” and said his fellow Los Blancos number five is “a player who does incredible things.”
There is no doubt that £130m is a huge investment, but Bellingham is surely worth that sort of price. He is a dominant, technically gifted goalscoring midfielder, and could well be seen as the second coming of Pogba in that sense. If United can pull this deal off, it would be the coup of the year.
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