It was hardly a secret given that Sky Sports cameras once picked up the tension that was clear between Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho, but now the Portuguese’s former No.2 has lifted the lid on what a disruptive influence the Frenchman was.
In the last couple of days Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, has been making a lot of noise surrounding his client’s position.
That being that he wants out of United and has no intention of signing a new contract with the Red Devils.
Mino Raiola to Tuttosport: “I can say that it’s over for Paul Pogba at Manchester United”. ? #MUFC #Pogba #transfers
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 7, 2020
Mino Raiola: “However, I think that the best solution for both Pogba and Man Utd is that he goes in the next transfer window. If not, the Old Trafford club know that they risk losing him on a free transfer as it is not Paul’s intention to extend his contract”. ? #MUFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 7, 2020
It gives Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a big decision to make in either the winter or summer transfer windows because, when he’s in the mood, Pogba is still, arguably, United’s best player.
Unfortunately for all concerned, those days are few and far between.
This precise situation could’ve been foreseen, however, with Ricardo Formosinho noting the problems the management of the club had with Pogba, long before Solskjaer was on the scene.
“I’m not going to mention names but we had a lot of problems – one of which was players who went on vacation normally and arrived… World champions,” he told Portuguese outlet, Record, cited by the Daily Mirror.
“It was very difficult to live in this climate of tension.”
Given that it was only the Frenchman who came back to the club after the summer as a world champion, it doesn’t take much working out to understand that his words were in reference to Pogba.
There’s far too much water that’s passed under the bridge now, and the Norwegian has to know that the sooner the midfielder is moved on, the better for all concerned.