Paul Pogba’s lawyer, Mino Raiola, says it would be better for the Manchester United midfielder if the 27-year-old left in January as he was unhappy and “could no express himself off” at the club.
This is believed to be part of a conversation Raiola had with the Italian newspaper Tuttosport and will be published in full on Tuesday. It will not go well for United and especially as the team is focused on preparing for a crucial Champions League match against RB Leipzig.
What Did Pogba’s Agent Say?
Given Pogba’s struggle at United since returning from the club for $ 93.2m last summer in 2016, it would not be a surprise to see him leave Old Trafford. But the first thing that was expected to happen was in the summer – Raiola instead claims it to take place when the winter transfer window opened on January 2.
“It’s useless to go around this,” he reportedly told Tuttosport. “It is better to speak clearly, to look ahead and not to waste time looking for criminals. Paul at Manchester United is unhappy, he can no longer express his feelings the way he would have liked and as expected. He has to change teams, he has to change the spirit.
“He has a contract that will expire in a year and a half, in the summer of 2022, but I believe the best solution for the teams is to sell it to the next market. Apart from that, the Old Trafford club, which has a very good relationship, knows that they will risk losing it with a free transfer, as it is not currently the player’s intention to extend the contract. If someone doesn’t understand you – they understand very little about the ball. In any case, let them blame me if Paul leaves next summer. ”
Raiola has criticized United’s direction since Pogba’s transfer four years ago and his client may have been traded this summer but as a result of the Covid-19 epidemic on potential buyers’ money. Earlier this season, United raised a one-year extension to Pogba’s contract until the summer of 2022 to monitor his loss as a free agent at the end of the campaign.
Harry Maguire’s Statement
Meanwhile, Harry Maguire says United are not thinking about the Europa League, and the captain expects his senior players to face Leipzig on Tuesday and make sure they qualify for the Champions League last 16.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s team needs a point in Germany to secure a pass, but know that if they lose they will drop out of the second round of Europe. It would be a very bad situation for United’s dream club and when asked about it, their captain hit a note, pointing out how United won in Leicester on the final day of last season to finish in third place as proof of their ability to win when they really count.
“I joined this club to play some great games,” said Maguire. “Your big players stand up for the big games and I think that’s a statement we’ve made over the years. It’s like Leicester where we had to get the result of reaching the Champions League – we were able to do that, so we’ll be confident in that.
“We feel ready and ready and looking forward to it. We never thought about the Europa League. We are simply focused on the game and are prepared and want to move on to the playoffs. ”
Solskjær expressed his feelings. “Games or games like this that give a chance to pass are great,” he said. “The players are Manchester United players because they have the qualities we want and I’m sure tomorrow night will prove the reason why they are here – they will show you. The team’s morale is getting better and we are looking forward to the game. That’s what we want, games like this. ”
United would have been better off had it not been for their 2-1 defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir, with both goals in mind. “It’s a Manchester United tradition: we’ve never made it easy for us,” Solskjær said. “We are looking at games – especially Istanbul away where we could have scored three points [but] it’s just the way we do things. We make it difficult for us – that has been true since I played here [since 1996]. ”
United’s Game Performances
United’s victory over West Ham on Saturday was their fifth consecutive victory in the league after falling behind. Solskjær believes his team’s refusal to commit could play into Leipzig’s mind if they do not accept the opening of the Red Bull Arena. “We’re working so hard to get into people’s heads that [this] might happen [return] so they can’t turn it off,” he said. “Manchester United have a tradition and a history of this and opponents will know about it. I really see those qualities come back – belief comes back.
“I don’t know how many times we came back and how many goals we scored in the last 10 or 15 minutes but there are many, that’s a big difference than last season. We talked about that earlier in the season – we need those extra points to give us. It has been very important so far. ”
Maguire said: “We have shown a good attitude to come back in all of these away games and we will need this character, spirit and confidence when we face Leipzig – the best team at home. But we strongly believe that we can go there and get the results we need to get to the memory stage. ”
In the October return match United beat Julian Nagelsmann 5-0. “It’s a game we’ll remember with love because we’ve done so many good things,” Solskjær said. “We have to do a lot more and we have to fix a few mistakes. Leipzig know us well enough to know that they are unpredictable in their situation and schedule but, we know the players and the style they play so know that it will be a tough game and we need to be in our power to get the best result. ”
David de Gea is well again after a knee injury caused him to miss out on West Ham, with Luke Shaw also on the move.
