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Manchester City are poised to break the British transfer record and sign Paul Pogba for £71million.

The most sought-after player in world football had been lined up to join Barcelona but they could only offer £57m, clearing the way for City.

Now, the deposed Premier League champions want to tie up the deal immediately so the Juventus midfielder can join them on their two-week tour to Australia.

And City’s neighbours United will get a £1.25m windfall from the transfer under FIFA rules, because Pogba spent three years at Old Trafford as a youngster.

City’s hopes of bringing France midfielder Pogba back to Manchester for a British record fee of £71million have been boosted by UEFA’s lifting of Financial Fair Play (FFP) sanctions and Barcelona’s failure to convince the Frenchman that he should remain in Turin for another year until their own transfer ban has expired.

(Image: Getty)

As revealed by Sunday Mirror Sport last week, the Etihad hierarchy have been waiting for Pogba to make it clear that he favours a move to the Premier League over La Liga.

City are now the only club who are willing to meet Juventus’ £71m asking price as well as the player’s £240,000-a-week wage demands.

They will press ahead with securing Pogba’s services so that he can link up with Manuel Pellegrini’s men during a 14-day tour of Australia which begins this week.

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Barca were hoping the glamour of the Nou Camp would give them the edge in the race to sign one of the world’s most coveted players, but the current uncertainty surrounding the Catalan club has not impressed Juve, Pogba or his powerful agent, Mino Raiola.

Barcelona’s presidential election has left the club paralysed.

Current president Josep Maria Bartomeu – who is expected to be re-elected on July 17 – sent a delegation to Turin to broker an agreement with Juve for Pogba.

But the talks collapsed when Barcelona lodged a £57m offer to sign the midfielder next year, which was dismissed out of hand by the Italian champions.

Rival candidate Joan Laporte branded Bartomeu’s efforts as both “ridiculous” and “a failure.”

And although Laporte has promised to deliver Pogba if he wins the presidential race, there are now suggestions that Barca’s Treble-winning coach Luis Enrique doesn’t want the former Manchester United player anyway.

City will sweeten any deal by paying the fee in its entirety.

Their recruitment strategy – they are also targeting Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling, Aston Villa's Fabian Delph and Kevin de Bruyne of Wolfsburg – wasn’t held up by UEFA’s refusal to officially confirm that FFP sanctions had been lifted until Friday.

(Image: Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)

City, who have had two bids rejected for Sterling with Liverpool demanding their full £50m asking price, are ready to make another offer of £40m plus another £6m in add-ons.

The club are also looking to raise money, with strikers Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic both drawing interest from Italy.

Roma are ready to fight Inter Milan for want-away Jovetic, who cost City £22million two years ago.

The Blues want £15m for the 25-year-old former Fiorentina star, while Roma are willing to take him on loan with a view to an £8m deal or buy him immediately for £10m.

Manchester City's 2015-16 Premier League fixtures