Paul Pogba has said that now “could be a good time to move on” from Manchester United.
The Red Devils are having none of that.
According to our partners at Sky Sports in the UK, United are not expecting to sell Pogba this summer and fully expect him to be a leading man in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad next season.
Okay, this is awkward.
With Real Madrid and Juventus both linked with a huge $170 million transfer deal for Pogba, United would gain a serious profit on the French midfielder who clearly wants out. After three seasons of inconsistent displays, why wouldn’t United snap off the hand of either Real or Juve to do this deal for Pogba?
It is a no-brainer as the player seems far from happy and motivated at Old Trafford, while United’s fans will hardly shed a tear if Pogba does leave this summer, especially for the huge fee suggested.
Pogba has used pretty much the first opportunity he could this summer to state he is thinking of a new challenge. His comments below, which were from a chat with media in Japan on a promotional tour, are emphatic and say where his mind is at after his final games of the 2018-19 campaign with France last week.
“After this season and everything that happened this season, with my season being my best season as well, I think for me it could be a good time to have a new challenge somewhere else. I am thinking of this,” Pogba said.
It is true that this season was Pogba’s best, numbers wise. He led United in both goals and assists with 16 goals and 11 assists, but his erratic form at the start and end of the campaign cannot be overlooked, no matter how good he was in the first few months of Solskjaer’s reign. His influence is huge in United’s locker room and if he isn’t focused, what kind of havoc could that wreck during preseason and the start of the 2019-20 campaign?
Now what?
United are digging their heels in as they are probably aiming to try and increase the transfer fee. This saga will play out until Aug. 8 when the window for PL clubs closes, and maybe even longer as Pogba can still leave for a club elsewhere in Europe until the end of August.
It is best for everyone if United move Pogba on as quickly as they can. That way Solskjaer can totally rebuild his squad, especially his defense, with the money they receive.
This is the perfect time for United to cash in on Pogba and for everyone to go their separate ways.
Has it been a nightmare three seasons? Far from it. United have won the League Cup and Europa League, and been in the UEFA Champions League for two of the three seasons upon Pogba’s return. Has it been what everyone expected when he signed in a then world-record deal in 2016? No, not at all.
Pogba, United and everyone in-between should admit this hasn’t worked out as planned and move on.
There’s no doubt Pogba will flourish elsewhere and United will have to accept that. They also have to accept that the right thing to do is take the cash they get for him now before his form dips drastically next season with his heart, and head, focused on a new challenge elsewhere.
