Report: Pogba requested Barcelona move before United's season opener

Where there was smoke there was fire, after all.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba reportedly formally requested a move to Barcelona shortly before the Premier League season began, personally asking United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodard to approve the transfer, according to The Telegraph's James Ducker.

According to Ducker, Woodward denied Pogba's request and insisted he wouldn't be sold despite the midfielder claiming agent Mino Raiola had already agreed to personal terms with the Catalan club.

Ducker notes Pogba is still intent on leaving the Red Devils, even if Mourinho was replaced as manager.

The report corroborates a similar one by the Daily Mail's Chris Wheeler on Aug. 7 - three days before United kicked off the 2018-19 season with a 2-1 victory over Leicester City - detailing how Pogba informed his own teammates, as well as Woodward, about his desire to secure a £350,000-per-week deal with the reigning La Liga champions.

Coincidentally, on that same day, The Guardian's Fabrizio Romano reported Barcelona had offered €50 million plus Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes for Pogba but were turned down. Barcelona eventually offloaded Mina and Gomes to Everton - the latter only on loan - while Pogba stayed put in Manchester.

The latest entry in a seemingly neverending saga between Pogba and Mourinho caps off an eventful 24 hours at United that has centered around the two.

Following the Red Devils' shocking League Cup exit against Derby County Tuesday, Mourinho confirmed he had stripped Pogba of his vice-captaincy. On Wednesday morning, the pair were captured in a spat at training over a video posted to Pogba's Instagram after the loss, though that incident was later supposedly attributed to a misunderstanding by Mourinho.