Paul Pogba Quitting Manchester United Shouldn’t Annoy Club Supporters
It hasn't been a week since the end of winter transfer window and the inevitable Paul Pogba summer transfer rumors are already here. | Source: Shutterstock.com
- Pogba signed for United for almost £90 million with much fanfare, but his time at Old Trafford has been a big disappointment.
- With less than ten appearances this season, there’s a good chance he’ll never play for United again before moving on.
- He leaves with a pitiful Europa League and EFL Cup win to show for his four seasons at United.
French midfielder Paul Pogba has once again signaled his intention to leave Manchester United. Let’s hope this time he follows through with his threats.
It seems as though he’s been unsettled at United almost since he arrived in 2016, and is continuously linked with a return to Juventus or a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The truth is, Pogba isn’t worth the hassle
I could understand United fans losing their minds if this was a player who is a critical piece of the united team. He isn’t. In all honesty, if I were a United fan, I’d be thrilled to hear that he’s leaving.
You know things have gotten really bad when you hear that the majority of the squad believes it would be for the best if the player moves on . Don’t get me wrong, Pogba is a popular figure among his team-mates, but it seems that enough is enough.
This crap has been lingering since June last year when Paul Pogba made it known via his agent, Mino Raiola, that he was looking for a “new challenge.”
A new challenge? Last time I checked, he hadn’t even begun the challenge he signed up for at Manchester United.
What is Paul Pogba’s worth in today’s market?
Last summer, United were hawking Pogba to interested parties at around £180 million. There’s no way they’ll see that kind of money for Pogba this summer. Let’s just clear that up right away.
A player who’s done nothing for a season, and who’s been out long-term with an ankle injury? Pogba is entering the last 18 months of his contract as well. Yeah, he’s not worth what United probably hopes they could get for him.
It’s also widely accepted that two clubs would be willing to buy the player. Real Madrid and Juventus. Zinedine Zidane has been high on the player for a long time, so much so that he drew the ire of United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last summer. Solskaer believed that Zidane was intentionally looking to unsettle Pogba.
Why does United seem intent on keeping Pogba?
Ed Woodward has never hidden his desire to retain Pogba . But why? It can’t be for his performances on the field, as he’s never hit the heights that United expected of him.
The answer? The commercial aspect of having Pogba at the club is enormous. The French midfielder has 39.2 million Instagram followers at the time of writing. United’s club account has 33.8 million . A post by Pogba showing off his new haircut drew over 5 million views.
Former United player Ronaldo is a prime example of the appeal of a player’s commercial draw. His move to Juventus was based almost entirely on the commercial benefits the Italian giants would enjoy.
Paul Pogba’s worth as a commercial asset cannot be understated, and it’s the only real reason why United seems interested in keeping him. His performances certainly aren’t the reason.
