Surprising Paul Pogba claim as he exits Manchester United

Paul Pogba is set to leave Manchester United as a free agent this summer, for the second time in his career. And it is safe to say that his second stint at Old Trafford has not gone as one would have expected when he was brought in on a then world record transfer move from Juventus, in the summer of 2016.

Pogba had played some tremendous football during his time at Juventus and it was believed that he was bound to establish himself as one of the best players in the world in the future.

It is safe to say that he never reached that level during his time at Manchester United. Of course, there were glimpses of quality here and there, but they were few and far between, and most of the time, the Frenchman was nowhere near the top of his game while playing for the Red Devils.

He did have a great run towards the end of the 2019/20 season though and it is believed that he wanted to extend his contract with the club at that point. As reported by The Athletic (via Mirror), that summer, Pogba had sent multiple messages to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to push for a contract renewal. The Manchester United directors are believed to have decided against it though, instead triggering a one-year extension in his contract.

Pogba set to leave Manchester United as a free agent for the second time

It is safe to say that Pogba never reached his full potential during his time at Old Trafford, which is unfortunate to say the least.

On top of his game, he is an exceptional player and one of the best midfielders in Europe. We did see flashes of that brilliance from him in a Manchester United shirt on several occasions but never on a consistent basis.

Perhaps English football did not suit him. Or maybe it was Manchester United’s style of play. But as he leaves the club, it is hard to not feel that this was the right time to do it, as the Red Devils head for a rebuild under the management of Erik ten Hag.