It appears the time of Paul Pogba is up at Manchester United if comments made by his agent, Mina Raiola is anything to go by.
The big agent, who also manages Zlatan Ibrahimovic revealed on Tuesday in an interview with Tuttosport said that Pogba’s time at Manchester United ‘is over’, adding Juventus ‘should have signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic.’
It could be recalled that United activated the option for a further year in Pogba’s contract after both parties failed to reach an agreement for an extension. This means the contract of the French midfielder expires in June 2022. From such indication, he could however be on his way out of Old Trafford in the summer.
It also appears that Raiola, who noted that the Frenchman is unhappy at Old Trafford can no longer express himself on the pitch. He is therefore even pushing for a move in January.
“I can say that it’s over for Paul Pogba at Manchester United,” Raiola told Tuttosport.
He therefore advised United’s board to stop skirting around the subject and sell him soon before he becomes a free agent in 18 months time.
“It is useless to go around it. Better to speak clearly, look ahead and not waste time looking for culprits: Paul at Manchester United is unhappy, he is no longer able to express himself as he would like and as expected of him.
“He has to change teams, he has to change the air. He has a contract that will expire in a year and a half, in the summer of 2022, but I think the best solution for the parties is to sell in the next market.
“Otherwise, the Old Trafford club, with whom relations are excellent, knows well that they would risk losing him on a free transfer, given that for the moment it is not the player’s intention to extend the contract.
“If someone doesn’t understand it, they understand very little about football. In any case, let them blame me if Paul leaves next summer,” Raiola said.
Pogba wants to leave Manchester United soon
Although, he scored a top class goal in their comeback win over West Ham last Saturday, Pogba who he excited playing for France than the club has been agitating for a move since last summer.
He has been linked to many top clubs, even Juventus that got £89million for selling him back to United.
The club record signing had announced in the summer of 2019 that he was ready for a new challenge. According to report, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was ready to let go of him then but United’s asking price of £180million scared everyone off including front runners Real Madrid.
Patrice Evra, who is Pogba’s close friend and former United captain had blamed the United board for not getting him sold in the summer. According to him, Pogba told them he wanted to leave but they failed to act.
“The problem is they did not deal with it at the beginning of the season. He talked to the board and said he wanted to leave.
“It is difficult to blame him because he has been honest with the board,” Evra said.
Pogba had at a press conference in October while on international duty said he dreamed of playing for Real Madrid one day but said he was happy at United for the time being.
“I am at Manchester. We know that this has been spoken about a lot and I have not [spoken about it].
“I heard a lot of noise that I was going to leave and I was going to leave to clubs left and right. Today, I am still at Manchester United and I am fighting to try to take the club even higher.
“We have all heard these things that have been said. What to respond? Yes, all footballers would like to play for Real Madrid. Maybe it is a dream. It is a dream for me, why not one day?
“As I have said, I am at Manchester United and I like my club. I am performing at Manchester United, I am enjoying myself and I want to do everything I can to get the club back to where it deserves to be.
“I am going to give my maximum, like my teammates. I prefer to concentrate on football and on returning to fitness.”
