Pirlo believes Juve star Pogba is worth a world-record fee

Andrea Pirlo believes Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba would command a world record transfer fee should he decide to leave the Serie A champions.

Pogba sparked talk of a move to Manchester City in February when he said incoming manager Pep Guardiola could help improve his game.

And Pirlo, who played alongside the France international for three years before departing Juventus for MLS last summer, believes Pogba could become the world's most expensive player, breaking the £85.3m Real Madrid reportedly paid for Gareth Bale in 2013.

"Of course, Juventus will want to keep him," Pirlo told the Daily Mirror. "But sometimes you can get to a transfer fee that you can rebuild an entire team with and he would get to that fee.

"At his age, you can build a team around him for the next years. If he does decide to leave, then I think it will be for a world record."

Reports in the English and Italian press have linked Pogba with a departure this summer, although on Thursday his agent Mino Raiola claimed the midfielder is "ready to sign a new Juventus contract".

Pogba joined Juve on a free transfer from Manchester United in 2012 after becoming frustrated by a lack of first-team opportunities.

And Pirlo, who signed on a free transfer himself the summer before, admits he was surprised United allowed the young Frenchman to leave.

"I have played with some great young players, but Pogba was the best young player I have ever seen," he added.

"We saw from his first training session with Juventus that he was special. There was a disbelief among the senior players that Manchester United had allowed him to leave.

"Since then he has grown physically and as a player. For me he is now the most complete central midfield player in the world."