Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra feels Paul Pogba will move on this summer because of a lack of “love” from Old Trafford supporters.
The 2018 World Cup winner has had a turbulent season at the Theatre of Dreams, which began with a few months of tension under Jose Mourinho’s stewardship.
Rumours of a fractious relationship between the two men led to disappointing results on the pitch and by the time the Portuguese was sacked in December, United were 11 points off the Premier League’s top four.
The arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer galvanised the squad between January and early March, with Pogba emerging as a standout performer, but since the Norwegian’s permanent appointment, United have suffered a dramatic slide.
Evra, who played for the Red Devils between 2006 and 2014, thinks Pogba will leave the club after talking with his fellow countryman “every day” amid a barrage of criticism from fans and experts.
The France international has been heavily linked with Real Madrid in recent months – as per Metro Sport – with Zinedine Zidane reportedly keen on luring the mercurial superstar to Santiago Bernabeu.
“Pogba to leave? I think he will leave because you need to feel the love when you play somewhere, you need to be committed,” Evra told Sky Sports, as United XTRA report via Twitter.
Evra: “Pogba to leave? I think he will leave because you need to feel the love when you play somewhere, you need to be committed. If Paul decides to stay another year and then leave, or stay another few years, maybe the fans will love him because he is committed.” #mufc [Sky]
— United Xtra (@utdxtra) May 14, 2019
“I advise Paul every day. We Facetime, we talk. I tell him every day what it means to wear the tracksuit, not even the shirt, just the tracksuit and what it represents. He listens to me.
Evra: “I advise Paul every day. We Facetime, we talk. I tell him every day what it means to wear the tracksuit, not even the shirt, just the tracksuit and what it represents. He listens to me.” #mufc [Sky]
— United Xtra (@utdxtra) May 14, 2019
“If Paul decides to stay another year and then leave, or stay another few years, maybe the fans will love him because he is committed.
“I remember losing 4-1 at home to Liverpool and they were still singing. That’s the United fans I know – they’ve just had enough. I don’t talk for Paul, whether he stays or leaves, but when you have negativity around you, you should leave.”
United ended up finishing sixth in the Premier League this term, 32 points behind eventual champions Manchester City and outside of the Champions League places.
Solskjaer has a major rebuilding job on his hands this summer, but Evra fears his old club could struggle to reclaim their place among Europe’s elite in the coming years.
“I’ve got the fear, even though I am positive, I don’t want United to become like Liverpool, AC Milan or Arsenal were – they have to wait many years to get back at the top,” he added, as per United XTRA. “The future doesn’t look bright.”
