Paul Pogba’s long-term future at Manchester United has been up for debate for the last four transfer windows, but now Mino Riola has admitted that his client should be playing for a title-challenging side. That is certainly not the case at Old Trafford, and the comments have left the door open for a possible move away from the club in January.
It remains unlikely that United will accept any offer in the winter window, as they aren’t certain to find a player to replace the World Cup winner in January. But, a move in the summer looks almost a certainty at this point, but the Red Devils will not budge on their valuation of Pogba.
Solskjaer Adamant Pogba Not Leaving
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has continuously stated that Pogba will not be leaving the club. The Frenchman claimed in the summer that he was looking for a new challenge as he attempted to push through a move to Real Madrid. United rejected a ludicrous offer from the Spanish side and explicitly stated that they need to pay at least £90 million for the midfielder.
Madrid wasn’t able to meet that sum in the summer window due to the money that they had spent bringing in other players. Juventus were also linked to their former playmaker, but any chance the Italian side has will depend on whether they can force a few of their higher earners out of the door.
Riola did admit that Pogba’s heart was still at Old Trafford during the interview, and he will be expected to play a crucial role as United look to get back into the Champions League for next season.
Pogba Struggles With Injury
Pogba has endured a difficult season to this point as he has struggled to maintain his consistency as he has been off and on the treatment table. His ankle injury has ensured that he has only played once in the last three months, and that appearance came as a substitute for the final stages against Watford.
United will be expecting Pogba to get back fit pretty soon as they have now gotten within a point of the top four. He could be straight in from the start against Arsenal on New Year’s Day, but he will need to hit the ground running for the Red Devils.
Fans have become angry with Pogba’s actions throughout the season as his ankle injury wouldn’t typically take this long to heal. Some fear that he has been mocking the club, as he celebrated his brother’s wedding during this layoff, and he was videos jumping up and down.
However, a return to form would certainly win fans back over again, and if Pogba can get back into his best form, then the Red Devils would be expecting to finish in the top four at the end of the season. He could start against Arsenal as Scott McTominay is expected to miss the next few games as he recovers from an injury that forced him off at half time against Newcastle United.
