Juventus warn Manchester United splashing out on Gonzalo Higuain doesn’t mean they have to sell Paul Pogba

JUVENTUS have warned Manchester United to forget getting Paul Pogba on cheap just because they are splashing out £79million on Gonzalo Higuain.

The Serie A club have stunned Italian football by agreeing the third-most expensive transfer of all time to snatch Higuain from rivals Napoli.

But Juve insist the move for the Argentine striker does not mean they have to sell Pogba – and that if United want to do the deal they must pay top dollar.

United have already seen a £100million bid for the France midfielder rejected, but last week thought they had finally reached an agreement for £105m.

But Juventus with Real Madrid still making noises in the background, Juve have pulled back from sanctioning the transfer and are now holding out for more money.

They are attempting to call the bluff of executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward in the hope that the United chief will dig deeper with a bid of as much as £120million.

There is a feeling around the deal that there is no way Juve can pay so much for one player without cashing in on 23-year-old Pogba but the club are maintaining their public stance.

Even so, coach Massimiliano Allegri is preparing for the new season on tour in Australia for the prospect of losing his main midfielder in the coming weeks.