Manchester United supporters can be forgiven for forgetting Paul Pogba plays for the Red Devils. The midfielder hasn’t appeared for Manchester United since 30 September when the team drew 1-1 with Arsenal at Old Trafford.
Pogba has missed the last 10 Premier League matches due to an ankle/foot injury but just when he looked likely of returning to the first team, illness has struck him down.
Pogba will not appear for Manchester United this weekend when the team travel to Watford to play the league’s bottom club. Pogba has appeared in five matches in the Premier League tallying two assists.
The midfielder had been training again with the team and was a possibility to make the trip to Vicarage Road.
Pogba’s latest setback throws another spanner in the works and most Manchester United supporters have to be asking themselves whether or not he has played his last match for the club. According to Manchester Evening News, Pogba could play on Boxing Day versus Newcastle United, a team that previously defeated the Red Devils, 1-0.
Despite speculation growing that Pogba will leave in January, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has claimed the club won’t sell the player. Yet, with Pogba pulling out of training recently with an illness, it throws fire on speculation that a deal to Real Madrid or another club could be on the cards.
Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola recently stated Pogba wants to stay at Old Trafford and fight for trophies. The midfielder has just 18 months left on his current deal although a club option is on the table.
While stating Pogba wants to play for the club, Raiola called on Manchester United to “build an identity” that Pogba can be a part of. The problem with this is Manchester United have moved on from Pogba this season. The team has looked stronger without him than with him this term. Although there is a long way to go to return to the heights they once soared, the team has been more positive without Pogba than with him.
Striker Marcus Rashford has risen to be one of the top forwards in the Premier League. Rashford is having a career season having scored 10 goals in 17 league matches already. Meanwhile, Daniel James has become a solid performer and midfielder Scott McTominay has been a standout player.
In addition, Fred has suddenly become a major contributor and like McTominay, an automatic selection if fit.
Pogba’s career was made on potential and at Juventus, he played well with star midfielders around him including Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchese, and Arturo Vidal. He doesn’t have the same players around him in the Manchester United team and is needed to be far more a contributor box to box than he ever was at Juventus.
Manchester United shouldn’t resist selling Pogba and re-build the midfield with the money they get for him.
Valued at £90 million by Transfermarkt, any team capable of purchasing Pogba, may not be willing to pay that much with him missing most of this season.
Will Paul Pogba be at Manchester United after January? It is a question that will be asked over the next six weeks by supporters and the media constantly.
