Juventus' chief football officer Fabio Paratici has warned that the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis will leave fewer clubs able to meet the financial demands of high-level players such as Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba.
In a wide-ranging interview with Sky Sport Italia, Paratici stressed the need to be "flexible and creative" in the transfer market due to the economic difficulties faced by clubs during the coronavirus pandemic, believing that long-term loan deals will become far more frequent amid drops in revenue and voicing his desire to see football take inspiration from American sports.
Pogba has been linked with a potential return to Juventus - the club he initially left United to join in 2021 before winning four successive Serie A titles - amid continued doubts over his Old Trafford future.
And while Paratici was full of praise for the midfielder, he cast doubts over the ability of many clubs to be able to match the wages that players of his calibre have typically requested in the past.
“Pogba is a great player, but logically the salary demands someone of his level would’ve had before is now more difficult to get hold of, or at least he’ll have fewer clubs prepared to pay that money," he said.
Paratici also confirmed that Juventus veterans Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini were close to agreeing new deals in Turin, with the Bianconeri also in talks with striker Paulo Dybala.
Juve also hope that former Chelsea loanee Gonzalo Higuain will remain at the club after he reportedly flew back to his native Argentina last month.
