“They’re killing Paul.”
Patrice Evra says he thinks Paul Pogba will leave Manchester United.
Evra was a member of United’s first team when Pogba was in the youth ranks at Old Trafford. He has since played alongside him for Juventus and the French national side and remains in regular contact with him, even watching United’s Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain with him in March.
As part of an interview with Sky Sports, the former United left-back insisted he was not protecting Pogba, but said that incidents such as the one which saw a supporter criticise him following Sunday’s defeat to Cardiff City are “killing” him.
“They’re killing Paul,” he said. “There was the incident with the fan, but he’s the best scorer, [and] has the best assists.
“I know you can maybe sometimes question his leadership and everything. Maybe the last few games you want Paul to score the winning goal. So that’s why maybe people criticise Paul right now, but he’s been the best player of the season.
“But just because he’s Paul Pogba – he’s doing his haircut, his dance, his Instagram and everything – people will just criticise him and forget the player he is.
“I think he will leave because I think you need to feel the love… You can hate him, you can love him but he’s doing his job. If you kill Paul for this season, what about the rest of the players?”
Will Pogba leave Old Trafford this summer?
"It's not like I am protecting Paul but when there are incidents like yesterday with the fan, they are killing Paul."
Patrice Evra expects @ManUtd to have summer clear-out: https://t.co/7vjMErMq7C pic.twitter.com/vZdchKrb1e
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 14, 2019
Pogba was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona last summer after a high profile falling out with then-United boss Jose Mourinho.
Though Pogba’s (and United’s) form initially improved following Mourinho’s departure in December, rumours that he could leave Old Trafford have returned in the final weeks of the season, with Real Madrid said to be eyeing a big money move to take him to Spain.
