Jose Mourinho has told his “secret agent” Paul Pogba to help him bring Juventus striker Paulo Dybala to Manchester United.
The Red Devils’ £89million midfielder played alongside the free-scoring Argentina international Dybala at Juve in Italy for one season and the pair became close.
Now, the Old Trafford giants boss Mourinho is anxious to bring in more firepower to ease the expectation on this season's leading scorer Romelu Lukaku and 2016-17's top gun Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is now 36 and returning from a major knee injury.
Dybala has replaced Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, 26, as Mourinho’s No.1 target on the attacking front.
Until Mourinho’s change of heart, Pogba, a France team-mate of the La Liga hitman, had been extolling the virtues of a move to United.
But at the 11th hour, Griezmann opted out of joining the Reds and signed a new bumper contract in Spain which infuriated Mourinho.
Now, the Portuguese has ended his interest in Griezmann, especially with Barcelona reported to be well on course to signing him in the summer.
It means he is concentrating on bringing in Dybala, 24, for around £90m – with the help of Pogba.
He is hoping that Pogba’s friendship with the Turin club’s frontman will pave the way to an eventual move in the summer.
United have enquired about a deal in the January window and Juve are against that – but would be open to negotiations at the end of the season.
By then, Mourinho will be hoping that Pogba has done his work to help pull off the move.