Man Utd ace Pogba will have to take pay cut on £290k-a-week wages to secure Real Madrid transfer

PAUL POGBA will have to settle for a pay cut if he wants to join Real Madrid, according to reports.

The Manchester United star has been heavily linked with a summer move to the Bernabeu after becoming disillusioned with life at Old Trafford as the club are some way off challenging for major trophies.

Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane wants the World Cup winner to help the former European champions wrestle back domestic dominance from Barcelona and challenge again at Europe’s top table.

But the Spaniards are not prepared to match his current £290,000-a-week Old Trafford wages.

However, ESPN report some of Pogba’s team-mates expect the Frenchman to push for a move to Madrid if United fail to qualify for the Champions League.

Sunday’s draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford severely hampered their chances of a top four finish as United three points adrift with only two games left to play.

Real have a huge wage bill already and despite their long-term interest in the World Cup-winner, they are not prepared to break their current pay structure to land Pogba.

United are adamant the 26-year-old will not be sold with boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer declaring last month he expects Pogba to be at the club next season.

Despite criticism from some fans and pundits, the United top brass are desperate to keep their Premier League top scorer for his value on the pitch to Solskjaer and for what he adds commercially to the club coffers.

Pogba moved to Old Trafford from Juventus is 2016 for £89million and has another two years to run on his current deal.

However, United have an option to extend his contract for a further 12 months to the summer of 2022.