Paul Pogba's return to the Premier League came at a heavy price for Manchester United this summer considering the fact that they let the Frenchman go for free at just 19 when most people who had heard of him were also privy to the fact that he was going to be world class.
Andrea Pirlo, a man who made up one third of the three man midfield that included Pogba during his time in Turin recounts his first training session with the young phenom. There was plenty of laughing mixed with disbelief over the fact that United let him fall into their laps. In a piece in The Telegraph, Pirlo is not coy on the situation.
"On the first day training session Pogba had with Juventus the players were laughing," Pirlo says.
"We were not laughing for any other reason than we were just in total disbelief that this player with so much obvious ability was able to leave a club the size of Manchester United for free — and I think Juventus are still laughing.
He recalls having a giggle with club legend Gianluigi Buffon after their first session with the now-Manchester United player, "I will always remember the first day he trained at Juventus. He was only young, but we could see he was special.
"We were walking back to the dressing room after the session and I clearly remember Gianluigi Buffon coming up to me laughing and he just said: "Did they really let him go for free?"
Pirlo can laugh and United can bemoan the price, which they haven't done, but there is little doubt over how good the 23-year-old can become.
"He is the best young player I have ever seen, and I don't think we are far away from calling him the best player in the world. It has been between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for many years now, but football should get ready for a new king," says the New York City FC midfielder.
Only time will tell but there is a good chance United and Ed Woodward will be laughing when all is said and done and Pogba's laid claim to the best footballer in the world moniker.
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