Joe Prince-Wright
Paul Pogba will leave Manchester United, according to his agent Mino Raiola.
Pogba, 27, scored a beauty at the weekend to lead a 3-1 comeback win at West Ham United but it appears he will be leaving Old Trafford.
The French midfielder had previously said playing for France was a ‘breath of fresh air’, and his agent has now stated that he does not have a future under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United.
This news on the eve of a key UEFA Champions League showdown for United will not impress Solskjaer. Speaking to Tuttosport in Italy, Raiola had this to say about Pogba’s future.
“There’s no point beating about the bush. It’s better to speak out clearly, look forward and avoid wasting time to find culprits. Paul is unhappy at Man Utd, he can’t manage to express himself like he wants to and like people expect him to. He needs to change team, he needs a change of scenery. He has a contract that will expire in a year and a half, in the summer of 2022, but the best solution for all parties is a transfer in the next (summer) window,” Raiola said.
“Otherwise the Old Trafford club, which I have a great relationship with, knows well that they would risk losing him on a free transfer, given that at the moment it’s not the player’s intention to extend the contract. If anybody can’t understand this, then they know little or nothing about football. Anyway, they’re free to direct all the blame to myself if Paul were to leave next summer.”
That is very definitive and not that surprising, as both the player and agent have said this before.
Pogba has not featured regularly for Manchester United this season and Bruno Fernandes is now clearly their main attacking midfielder. Pogba has made silly mistakes when he has played and aside from the occasional spectacular goal or assist, United’s midfield doesn’t seem to have a place for the talented Frenchman.
The timing of this sort of adds up too, as we are less than a month away from the January transfer window opening and Pogba has 18 months left on his contract. This represents the last chance Man United will have to get a decent return in terms of a transfer fee for Pogba.
If he is sold next summer his transfer fee will be a lot lower, so perhaps the likes of Juventus, Real Madrid and others will be tempted to buy him in January.
In the right team he is brilliant, just like he is for France, but Manchester United and Pogba have not been a good fit since he returned in 2016.
Pogba will leave Manchester United, says agent originally appeared on NBCSports.com
