Covid-19 crisis looks set to keep Kevin De Bruyne & Paul Pogba in Manchester

Kevin De Bruyne & Paul Pogba

Could Kevin De Bruyne leave Man City?

The Belgium midfielder raised that possibility over the weekend during an interview with HLN.

Man City are facing a two-year European football ban as UEFA found the club guilty of breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

While City are appealing that decision, its unclear if the Premier League club will be successful.

In recent days, De Bruyne said:

Two years [without Champions League football] would be long. One year is something I might be able to cope with.

As for Paul Pogba, rumours about his possible exit from Man United have been swirling around for months.

Over the weekend, the Italian media suggested that Inter Milan were leading the chase for the French World Cup winner.

 

Covid-19 crisis looks set to keep De Bruyne & Pogba in Manchester

However, in the Times on Monday, Man United and Man City fans are told that De Bruyne and Pogba are likely to remain at their respective clubs for the foreseeable future.

That’s due to the economic impact of the Covid-19 crisis.

Starting with De Bruyne, the Times firstly confirm that “sources close to the player insisted yesterday that he has no intention of quitting.”

However, the broadsheet also reveal that “Kevin De Bruyne… is unlikely to find a suitor due to the economic downturn.”

PSG are named as one possible suitor for KDB. However, PSG “would have to sell either Neymar or Kylian Mbappe to fund the purchase of the Belgian”, say the Times.

Paul Pogba’s hopes of returning to Juventus look to have been scuppered after the Italian club admitted that they may not be able to afford him because of the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, writes @hirstclass #mufc https://t.co/lUJxgfSTQL

— Times Sport (@TimesSport) May 4, 2020

As for Pogba, Juventus appear to have dropped out of the race for his signature.

Juventus’s chief football officer, Fabio Paratici, suggested that the finances surrounding any deal for Pogba means it’s difficult for any club to sign him from Old Trafford. Paratici said:

Paul Pogba is a fantastic player, we know him as a champion. But something will change after the virus crisis, because now also top players like Paul will have fewer clubs that can guarantee them such a high salary.

There will certainly be less cash circulating. Some say we could start the 2020-21 season with the same players as 2019-20, which is also a possibility.

Paratici (Juventus director) to @SkySport: "Paul Pogba is a fantastic player, we know him as a champion. But something will change after the virus crisis, because now also top players like Paul will have fewer clubs that can guarantee them such a high salary". 🛑 #MUFC #Pogba

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 3, 2020

Also see: Best Netflix, Amazon & YouTube football documentaries & movies to watch during coronavirus isolation

9 best football documentaries to watch on ESPN+ during COVID-19 quarantine

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