Even without kicking the ball Juve are the winter champions as Roma went to Palermo and shared the points in a 1-1 game so this has left Juventus 2 points clear with the game against Verona pending Juve could move five ahead. Yes Juve beat Verona earlier in the week in the Coppa Italia 6-1 but it was a weakened team, so Juve must put that game behind them. The other game on Saturday saw Empoli hold Inter to a 0-0 draw.
Sunday’s lunch time game is the big game of the week as Lazio host Napoli it should be a great game as both teams won’t hold back one reason is a Champions league place is at stake here. Waiting there is Sampdoria who are hosted by Parma. Also could close the gap are Fiorentina and Genoa, the first are away to Chievo as the latter host Sassuolo.

Paul Pogba has certainly come a long way since he signed from Manchester United on a free transfer in the summer of 2012. The Frenchman was a fringe player at Old Trafford despite his ability, but his performances have attracted the interest of many clubs, including Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain. With Serie A clubs still suffering from financial issues, a mammoth offer for Pogba will certainly signal the end of his Juventus career, unless the Bianconeri sell another prized asset in order to keep the Frenchman. The asset in question is Arturo Vidal.
Pogba has recently signed a new contract worth €4.5 million per year keeping him until 2019, an upgrade from his previous contract worth €1.5 million per annum. Vidal on the other hand earns approximately €5.5 million at Juventus, and if the Bianconeri are to shield off other clubs his salary may potentially reach €12 million, roughly the same salary Manchester United are reportedly willing to offer the Chilean. Selling Vidal in this case can potentially mean an increased salary for Pogba in the future, thus eliminating the monetary incentives in the eventuality of a departure.
In fact, the selling of Vidal could play a major yet indirect role in keeping Pogba at the club. In the summer of 2001 when Juventus sold Zinedine Zidane to Real Madrid for a then-world record fee of €75 million, the money received was able to play a big role in acquiring Pavel Nedved, Lilian Thuram, Gianluigi Buffon, and Marcelo Salas. Even though the latter had an injury-plagued time at the Bianconeri, he was considered a household name. The revamped squad was able to regain its Serie A crown after two seasons of finishing second and reached the 2002-03 UEFA Champions League final. The potential sale of Vidal could thus fund transfers allowing Juventus to heavily reinforce their side and regain their place amongst Europe’s elite, thus allowing Pogba to stay.
The chance to join Manchester United or Paris Saint-Germain is not money-related, but these clubs have the funds to carry out heavy recruitment in order to compete for the UEFA Champions League. Vidal’s sale in this case can allow Juventus such an opportunity, in turn affecting Pogba’s decision as he’ll be competing for Europe’s premier club competition anyway. The opportunity of playing with a squad competing for Europe will not be the only factor affecting Pogba following Vidal’s sale, but the fact that the 21-year-old will be guaranteed a starting place in the team is enough to convince him to stay. Of course, Juventus will have to recruit replacements, but Pogba is already a fan-favorite at the club. In contrast, if he moves to another club it may mean more time on the bench compared to the Bianconeri.
For example, in comparison with another rising midfield talent in PSG’s Marco Verratti, the latter has played 1,681 minutes compared to Pogba’s 2,011; both players haven’t sustained major injuries nor suspensions, Verratti has played in five competitions compared to Pogba’s four, and Ligue 1 is two game weeks ahead of Serie A. In short, the sale of Vidal can impact whether Pogba stays or not for both financial and non-financial reasons. The Frenchman can have an increased salary, and will have the chance to play a greater role in one of Europe’s strongest squads. The only real question that remains: although on the long-term outlook it seems a no-brainer, is Pogba today worth keeping at the expense of Vidal?