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Paul Pogba has been the subject of two Marca front pages in two days, and it was hardly going to be any different after Zinedine Zidane praised the player and brought up the midfielder’s comments about Real Madrid.

During the last international break, Pogba was asked about potentially playing for Zidane at Madrid and explained that the club is a dream for all footballers, and even more so with the former Ballon d’Or holder being there.

Quizzed on the player on Saturday, Zidane said: “I like Pogba a lot, because I also know him personally and what I say is not new, that’s why I can say it with sincerity.

“He’s different, there are those that know how to attack, others defend, but he does both. He has qualities that allow him to do things that very few can do. He knows how to do everything.

“Having said that, he has a contract with Manchester United and we have to respect that, but if there is ever a possibility beyond United for him, he has always said that Madrid was the club that interested him the most.”

This is clearly getting serious as far as transfer rumours go. There’s claimed interest, the player has given his view and now so too has the manager.

Saturday’s Marca claimed Mino Raiola had offered the player to Real Madrid in two recent telephone conversations, which doesn’t take a great leap of faith to believe.

On Sunday, as well as covering Zidane’s comments, the Spanish newspaper say Pogba rejected a Manchester United renewal offer in January. That’s harder to believe – that the offer was actually made – but it’s not difficult to suppose that Madrid, and by extension Marca, have been told that.

The report also states that Raiola is set to travel to Manchester to speak to United and find out the club’s ‘exact position’.

There’s ‘moderate optimism’ at Real Madrid, which could be shaken somewhat when met with the answer from Old Trafford… depending on what that answer is.