Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has admitted he is worried about Paul Pogba’s long-term future at the club.
Pogba is in his third season since re-signing for United from Juventus but has not fully lived up to the expectations which came with his £89m transfer fee.
Will Pogba leave Man Utd? Five key things to know…
- Pogba joined Man Utd from Juventus in 2016 for a then-world record fee of £89m.
- The Frenchman was disappointing in large spells under Jose Mourinho and was constantly linked with a move away.
- Pogba has since improved massively following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s arrival as caretaker manager in December.
- But Neville fears Pogba’s agent will use his good form to engineer a move away from United.
- Pogba has directly contributed to 15 goals under Solskjaer, more than any other Man Utd player.
The Frenchman often struggled to set Old Trafford alight while Jose Mourinho was in charge but has flourished under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s stewardship, scoring nine goals and recording six assists.
But Neville believes this vein of form could see Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, push for a move away from United.
“To be balanced on Pogba, in the last two or three months he is looking like the £95million player they signed,” he said on Sky Sports.
“His agent and his character if he plays for United for the next five years no one will be happier than me and (Nemanja Vidic) but issues will emanate again.
“His commitment has to be long-term.
“His agent will be in his ear and he will want his little move. This is only three months of football out of two years.
“My personal worry is his agent will be into him to say we need to get over there or… that’s my worry. We need to know if he is in it for the long-term.”
Pogba played a big part in helping a makeshift United team hold Liverpool to a goalless draw on Sunday, holding together a midfield which was seriously hampered by injury both before and during the match.
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Pogba’s influence on Man Utd under Solskjaer
While most Manchester United players have improved since Solskjaer replaced Mourinho in December, Pogba has been the one most pointed out by fans, pundits and his team-mates.
Speaking after United took another positive step in the race for the top four with a win over Fulham in February, Mata admitted Pogba’s performances were carrying the Red Devils.
The Spaniard said: “I’m happy for Paul, he is carrying the team and showing what a great midfielder he is, how complete he is.
“He has everything and he is showing it on the pitch.
“Solskjaer has come on and changed the results. He has given us joy and confidence. He had made us play in a better way.”
And this was echoed by Anthony Martial, who spoke of his beliefs Pogba can lead United to great things.
Martial said: “We all know what quality Paul possesses – Paul is Paul.
“He is a leader, he talks more in the dressing room than he does on the field to be fair. Technically and with the spoken word, he is a leader in both senses. I hope he can continue to lead us to great things.
“I don’t think we are very far off the top four now so it is just a case of keeping going, winning as many games as we can so we can ensure a place in those Champions League spots at the end of the season.”
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