We were waiting on a Paul Pogba contract update and it appears he will be staying at Manchester United for the foreseeable future.
Man United fans, are you happy with that?
Pogba’s current contract is due to run out in 2021 and Man United have the option of extending it by an extra year. And it seems like the extension could be longer than that.
Speaking to our partners in Italy, Sky Sport, Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola confirmed that he expects the French midfielder to remain at Old Trafford long-term and isn’t expecting him to move on this summer.
“Pogba is staying at Manchester United and I think they want to extend his contract,” Raiola said. “He is at the centre of an important project, they will not accept any bid for him this summer. Even in the past years Manchester United were never willing to open talks [regarding a move away for Pogba].
“He’s not the kind of guy to create controversy. We need to be calm, especially in such a moment, and we’ll see how it goes. We will negotiate for an extension very calmly, without stress. We will continue our talks.”
A Paul Pogba contract update devoid of controversy, hype or drama doesn’t quite feel right. That’s probably due to the circus constantly surrounding Manchester United and contracts, transfers and everything in-between but also down to Raiola usually fanning the flames of discontent and agitating for moves for his star names.
Remember: it was only last summer that Pogba said he wanted to move on.
Pushing all of that to one side, this actually seems like a good deal for everyone if Pogba signs a new deal. Pogba, 27, made a difference to Man United after the restart when he finally returned fully-fit after a nightmare season with injuries.
Pogba seemed to have an instant connection with Bruno Fernandes and with that duo playing behind Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford makes Man United a force to be reckoned with.
He’s playing in that number six role ahead of Nemanja Matic and behind Fernandes and that’s a very good spot for him. He doesn’t have to do tons of defensive work but he also isn’t the main attacking hub that attacks flow through. That way he doesn’t get caught being too far forward. That allows Pogba to do what he does best: be a deeper playmaker who picks out 70-yard Hollywood balls over the top to get attacks going and set up Rashford, Martial and Greenwood to score.
It finally seems like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has found the right spot for Pogba and he seems happy to remain at Man United. The latter had been a struggle ever since he returned in 2016 and even though he is still a divisive figure among Man United fans and neutrals alike, there’s no doubting that if you can play to Pogba’s strengths, he will be a positive influence on any team.
Does he make the odd mistake in possession to allow dangerous attacks for opponents? Yes. Does he also start plenty of attacks to get Man United on the front foot? Yes.
Overall, the latest Paul Pogba contract update is a win for everyone concerned.