Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague says Paul Pogba could stay at Manchester United this summer, and the club view the Frenchman as a potential leader at the club.
The 27-year-old has played just five games for United this season as he has struggled for fitness with a persistent ankle injury keeping him on the sidelines.
Speculation has been rife for what seems like an eternity that the Frenchman will be headed to Spanish giants Real Madrid this summer. Balague says that may not be the case.
“Paul Pogba was a target for Zidane, not so much for the club, and the money involved in that deal means that Real Madrid I don’t think have Paul Pogba as a priority,” Balague said on his YouTube channel.
“Paul Pogba has suggested both, that he wants to go and he wants to stay.
“So he’s playing his cards but at the moment I do feel that a player like him would be better serviced to be at Manchester United where he will be the leader.
“Physically he will be fit finally and it seems like they are at least a stable club right now, there won’t be changes, [Ole Gunnar] Solskjaer will stay.
“I know that the coaching staff at Manchester United feel that Pogba is a good leader, perhaps not so much when things are going wrong.
“But when they are going right, and you’ve got to hope, for Manchester United fans anyway, that the finances are in the right place to at least be able to get a stable team, improving with two or three players, meaning he has the chance to shine.
“It’s not a good time to leave I don’t think and I believe that they’re going to convince him to stay with a new contract.
“But we’ll have to see because this is very early in the conversations in that department and as I said he’s playing with all the possible cards.”
It seems as though it could be a smart move to keep Pogba at Old Trafford for next season. With the COVID-19 pandemic, player values have gone through the floor.
Add to that the fact that Pogba has hardly played this season and Manchester United will be struggling to recoup anywhere near the £90m they paid to bring him back from Italy.
For now, keeping him at the club to play alongside the likes of Bruno Fernandes in the midfield could be the best option not just on the pitch, but also off it.
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