MY ACCOUNT
Paul Pogba is preparing to head to Juventus on a free transfer for the second time in a decade.
Six years after signing for Manchester United for a then-world record transfer fee of £89million, the midfielder will return to Turin.
It is a move he has made before, having also left Old Trafford for Juve in 2012.
As the Old Lady bid to return to Serie A’s summit, we assess Pogba’s impending arrival at the Allianz Stadium.
Manchester misery
It has been a tumultuous stint in Manchester for Pogba, with his time in the North West hampered by injuries and dips in form.
As a result, the Paris native has often been made a scapegoat for the Red Devils’ disappointing last few seasons.
United have failed to win the Premier League since Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013 — and they only narrowly scraped a sixth-place finish in 2021-22.
Pogba’s decision to leave for free at the end of his contract epitomises the club’s recent struggles on and off the pitch.
Pogba proposal
United were keen to retain Pogba, despite being unable to agree terms with the World Cup winner.
That was made clear in the recent ‘Pogmentary’, during an exchange between the 91-cap international and his former agent Mino Raiola.
Raiola said: “They absolutely want you to stay. For me, the offer doesn’t reflect that. I told them, ‘If you want him to stay, don’t make that offer’.
“I will make them understand that if they really want you to stay and they want to build a project around you, this time they have to act differently and put the money on the table.”
Pogba then responded: “They’re bluffing. How can you tell a player you absolutely want him and offer him nothing? Never seen that.
“My thought process is to show Manchester United that they made a mistake in waiting to give me a contract.”
Playmaker Paul
Pogba possesses a remarkable combination of physical and technical attributes.
Though he stands at 6ft 3in tall, the 29-year-old has ultra-quick feet and ranked 10th for completed take-ons (2.59) per 90 minutes in the Premier League last term.
Regardless of his limited minutes last season, the Frenchman boasted a commendable nine assists — the joint-seventh most in the division.
Positional problem
There have been question marks over Pogba’s best position throughout his time in M16.
United’s departing No6 has been deployed across the midfield by various managers, with his performances in a double pivot often coming under fire.
But Pogba’s previous spell at Juve embodied his strengths as a midfielder. Alongside two hard-working partners, he was afforded the freedom to grab games by the scruff of the neck.
The Red Devils rarely utilised a system that got the most from their £89m man.
Turin transfer
Max Allegri’s Juventus side have been crying out for a creative addition in midfield, with the Bianconeri’s engine room remaining their Achilles’ heel.
The Old Lady’s current group is somewhat workmanlike, often leaving substantial gaps between the team’s central players and their forward line.
Pogba boasts the athleticism to transform defence into attack, which should give the Turin outfit a new lease of life.
After promising so much, Pogba’s Old Trafford return was largely underwhelming — but his second spell at Juve could be far more fruitful.
