What's the story?
Cristiano Ronaldo's summer move to Turin could spark a massive 3-player swap deal between Manchester United and Juventus in January. According to reports from the Express, Juve forward, Paulo Dybala has become unsettled since the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo with United extremely keen on securing his services.
In addition, a further report from Italy's Calcio Mercato indicates that the Manchester club is also keen on Douglas Costa. Juventus, meanwhile, have maintained their interest in signing Paul Pogba and both reports state that the World Cup winner would likely be used as a bargaining tool should Manchester United move for their targets.
In case you didn't know...
Paul Pogba has been the subject of intense speculation since the end of last season with Barcelona and Juventus touted as the most likely destinations should he leave Old Trafford. The midfielder had previously enjoyed a successful spell in Turin and there would be little surprise to see him choose a return to the new-look Old Lady if United allow him to leave.
However, further reports from the Express indicate that Lionel Messi has made a request to the Barcelona board to sign Pogba in January. Despite these reports, Juventus hold the upper hand in any potential deal as Manchester United have expressed a keen interest in both Douglas Costa and Paulo Dybala.
Dybala has been labelled as the "next Messi" with some wonderful displays in Serie A over recent seasons and has become increasingly frustrated with his drop down the pecking order since the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo. Costa, meanwhile, was the subject of a €80 million bid from Manchester City during the summer which was rejected by Juventus.
However, an offer from Manchester United involving Paul Pogba for both players would certainly change the mind of the Juventus board.
The heart of the matter
Manchester United are desperate to shake things up following a poor start to the season and bringing in two world-class players in January would certainly make a statement for the rest of the season. While Paul Pogba remains an exceptional player, his so-so performances for the Red Devils could make him dispensible as a makeweight in any potential deal.
Juventus are currently building their version of Real Madrid's famous "Galacticos" team and view Pogba as an essential piece of that puzzle. While Dybala and Costa are rated very highly by the Juventus management team, the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo has made them more dispensible than they were this time last year.
Rumour Rating: 5/10
There are many stumbling blocks which could affect this potential deal - Barcelona's interest in Pogba, Manchester City's interest in Costa, and the valuation of all players involved by both Juventus and Manchester United. However, both clubs are desperate to improve their squads in January and it is possible we could see one or all players move in the New Year.
What's Next?
For now, both clubs must focus on domestic and European form with an important run of games coming up over the next couple of months. Should either or both teams fail to live up to expectations in terms of their league positioning or European form come January, it could lead to a deal being arranged in the next transfer window.