Some things never change.
A new Premier League season starts on Friday, but a storyline from last season has carried over into this campaign. Paul Pogba is reportedly unhappy with Jose Mourinho, and the rift between the pair doesn’t appear to have been resolved.
According to reports, Juventus and Barcelona are interested in Pogba and the Spanish champions submitted an offer for the French midfielder.
Barcelona are said to have offered Yerry Mina, Andre Gomes and €50m for Pogba, a proposition that was swiftly rebuked by United.
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According to Paul Hirst, writing in The Times, Ed Woodward will not sanction a transfer for Pogba to leave Old Trafford under any circumstances.
However, it appears that this is because of commercial concerns and Woodward’s standing, rather than Pogba’s contribution on the pitch.
The French midfielder is arguably the club’s most talented player. Of course, the quality of the team would decline without him. Yet, that doesn’t appear to be United’s main concern regarding his potential departure.
According to the report:
- Woodward, the club’s executive vice-chairman, has “staked his reputation” on bringing Pogba back to United. He doesn’t want another big-name transfer failure on his record after deals for players such as Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Memphis Depay didn’t work out.
- Pogba’s “commercial value” is too great for Woodward to sanction his exit.
- “The month after signing Pogba on a five-year deal, Woodward took great delight in telling investors that the announcement of Pogba’s medical had generated ‘the highest daily activity ever on our website’ and that ‘it was also the most retweeted Manchester United post of all time on Twitter’.”
- Woodward also revelled in how Pogba’s transfer made a bigger impact on social media than when Gareth Bale joined Real Madrid or when Neymar signed for Paris Saint-Germain. Apparently, Pogba’s return to United remains the club’s most liked post on Instagram.
- Hirst writes that Woodward’s stance on not selling Pogba is “rock-solid” and that the midfielder and Mourinho are, for better or worse, stuck with each other.
So, it appears that Pogba is a key part of Woodward’s plans for the club, and Mourinho will have to learn to live with him.
The report claims that the French midfielder was “stunned” to be dropped for both legs of United’s Champions League knockout ties against Sevilla and has grown frustrated with his manager. Mourinho’s recent comments about why Pogba plays better for France than he does for United are also said to have irked the former Juventus star. The United manager is said to feel that his player is distracted and influenced by off-field concerns, such as his agent and commercial concerns.
It was reported by Diego Torres back in February that Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, contacted the club looking for a pay increase for his client when United signed Alexis Sanchez.
The midfielder had reportedly been the best-paid player in the Premier League until Sanchez’s arrival at Old Trafford and his agent felt he should be earning more than the Chilean forward.
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The second half of the United’s season was dominated by the alleged rift between Pogba and Mourinho. The pair had a dispute on the sidelines during a defeat to Tottenham at the end of January and Pogba soon found himself getting substituted and dropped from the starting XI.
They appear to have inherently different views on football. Pogba wants the freedom to express himself and go forward at will to make a difference in the final third. Mourinho wants disciplined soldiers in central midfield, who will follow instructions and hold their shape. While Woodward wants stars in the team, and Mourinho wants functional players to help him win trophies.
It seems like the key figures at Old Trafford aren’t on the same page and it doesn’t bode well for the upcoming Premier League season.
