Coach Xavi puts the brakes on any Paul Pogba move to Barcelona

In Joan Laporta's meeting with Mino Raiola the Italian agent put three names on the table in addition to Erling Haaland: Xavi Simons, Paul Pogba and Noussair Mazraoui.

They could all be key in fulfilling the primary objective (Haaland). Three clients that, curiously, are all out of contract in the summer.

It's a game of chess now as Barça go all out for Haaaland next summer. Raiola knows he has one of football's biggest stars, someone with a clause of 75 million from this summer -- plus commission for the agent and the player's father.

That could take the fee up to 150 million and Barça are trying to reduce that. Laporta feels Haaland's the boost the team needs: a born winner and goalscorer with many years ahead of him.

Financial... and sporting

Deals for Mazraoui and Simons may not be that difficult, but in terms of Pogba, beyond the cost (salary and commission) there's a sporting factor complicating things. In fact, the Frenchman had been made available for January but the arrival of Xavi as Barça coach put the brakes on everything.

Despite Raiola offering Pogba to Laporta, Xavi isn't keen and Barça are better stocked in midfield than other areas. In this sense, it seems unlikely Pogba will come to Camp Nou as part of any Haaland deal.