Paul Pogba is finally leaving Old Trafford as a free agent. This has been confirmed by Manchester United in a club statement.
Pogba, 29, rejoined United from Juventus in 2016 for a then-world-record £89 million transfer fee.
In his second stint, he made 27 appearances in an injury-plagued final season.
“It was a low-key end to a United career that brought so many individual high moments,” the Old Trafford club said in a statement.
“So many beautiful goals, assists and pieces of skill.
“For a boy that joined the academy at 16 to make over 200 United appearances and lift the Youth Cup, along with two major pieces of silverware, is something that should be applauded and celebrated.”
Pogba joined United as a 16-year-old from French club Le Havre in 2009, and was a member of the youth team that won the Youth Cup in 2011.
Before his contract expired in July 2012, he made only seven senior appearances before joining Juventus.
Afterward, he made a record-breaking return to Old Trafford. Before he arrived at Old Trafford, Pogba won eight major awards in Turin, including four consecutive Serie A titles.
During his first season at United, he won the EFL Cup and the Europa League, but those were the only trophies he won during his second era at Old Trafford.
In 2018, he lost his vice-captaincy due to a disagreement with then-manager Jose Mourinho. Afterward, injuries and irregular form limited his effectiveness.
Pogba scored 39 goals in 233 games for the club over his two stints there, but his farewell home game against Norwich City in April was marred by jeers from his own fans as he was substituted.
Despite the platitudes in their statement, the unpleasant truth is that Manchester United paid money for Paul Pogba twice – once as a kid to get him from Le Harve and again when he was bought from Juventus for a then-world record £89 million – and has twice departed for nothing.
Pogba has never delivered the consistently high level of performance that United required.
There have been flashes of brilliance, most notably his two goals in a famous 3-2 comeback win against Manchester City in 2018 and his four assists against Leeds United on the season’s first day.
But they were too few, especially when compared to the impact of talents like Kevin de Bruyne at Manchester City and even Fabinho at Liverpool.
United appeared to have spent all of that money on Pogba a second time around without a strategy for getting the most out of him. It meant that his lively off-field demeanor was starting to grate on his nerves.
He had a tense relationship with Jose Mourinho, who stripped him of his vice-captaincy when he agitated for a move away from Old Trafford. Also, he didn’t reciprocate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s faith in him.
It’s probable that Pogba will have a huge impact wherever he goes – and Juventus haven’t ruled out the possibility of signing him again.
However, he is bound to appear at Old Trafford as the personification of the complex thinking and “profligacy” that has kept United so far behind Manchester City and Liverpool.
