Massimo Moratti: 'We pulled out of Paul Pogba race'

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson asked the Nerazzurri to pull out of the race to sign French youngster Paul Pogba.

The 19-year-old joined Juventus in the summer after running down his contract at Old Trafford, with a tribunal deciding on an £800,000 fee.

Moratti has been impressed by Pogba's start for the Bianconeri and admitted that he may have made a mistake in not snapping him up.

That decision could come back to haunt Inter as they make the trip to Turin for tomorrow's crunch Serie A encounter.

"He really does seem like a good player," Moratti told La Stampa.

"We were following him too, but we had an agreement with Manchester United – to not negotiate with players at the end of their deals.

"That was a request from Sir Alex Ferguson and we pulled out of the race. We perhaps made a mistake, but we can't sign everyone."

Pogba has scored two goals in six appearances in Serie A.