Plenty of blame to go around for Paul Pogba's failure at Man Utd

Paul Pogba who will leave Manchester United at the end of his contract.

With the news that Paul Pogba is leaving on a free this summer, thoughts are now turning to who Manchester United will get to replace both him and fellow central midfielder Nemanja Matic.

United have been linked with Barcelona midfielder Frankie de Jong. The Dutchman is a former player of new United boss Erik ten Hag, with the two enjoying a successful partnership in their time together at Ajax.

United have also been linked with a move for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice but the England international would not come cheap. With some sources pricing the midfielder at upwards of £120m.

Pogba’s international colleague N’Golo Kanté has also been linked with a move but that seems unlikely given Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel recently called Kanté, “Our Mo Salah, he is our [Virgil] van Dijk, he is our [Kevin] De Bruyne. He is our Neymar, he is our Kylian Mbappe; he is the guy who makes the difference.” 

In a farewell message to United fans on social media Pogba thanked them for their ‘unconditional support’. This has raised more than a few eyebrows given Pogba’s uneasy relationship with some United fans since he returned to the club from Juventus in 2016.

I feel privileged to have played for this club. Many beautiful moments and memories but most importantly an unconditional support from the fans. Thank you @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/YLT3lUHOmT

— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) June 1, 2022

The move could hardly be judged a success with Pogba’s form veering wildly up and down since his arrival. In his six seasons at the club, United won a Europa League and a League Cup, as well as the Charity Shield.

His well publicised clash with Jose Mourinho played a large part in the latter’s departure from the club in 2018.

The United academy graduate will likely not be the last departure of the summer for United. Matic and Edinson Cavani have already announced they are leaving.

Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard also have contracts that run out at the end of this month. It appears unlikely that Mata will be offered a new contract. 

Lingard has been linked with moves to West Ham and Newcastle. And it was announced Wednesday that he will be leaving the club.

Wishing you all the best in your future endeavours, @JesseLingard 🙏#MUFC

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 1, 2022

Several other players have just over 12 months left on their contracts, including regular first-teamers Cristiano Ronaldo, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, Fred, and David de Gea.

Squad players like Diogo Dalot, Tom Heaton, and Phil Jones are also facing into the last year of their deals. Jones is expected to leave after what has been a turbulent and injury-marred spell at the club.

Fellow central defenders Eric Bailly and Axel Tuanzebe are also expected to depart. United have been linked with Spanish international Pau Torres and Ajax defender Jurrien Timber. Timber can also play at right back and may herald the departure of Aaron Wan-Bissaka from the club. 

Whatever about the other comings and goings, Pogba will certainly be exiting.

Where he goes next will make for interesting viewing. He has been persistently linked with a return to Juventus where, with more defensive cover behind him, he may rediscover the form which led United to splash out a then world-record £89.3million for him.

His failure to reproduce the performances he regularly puts in at international level for France for United is an indictment of the player but also successive United managers. They all failed to find a formula that allowed Pogba to recreate the form he had shown in Turin.

Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick all failed to create the conditions that would allow Pogba to display his undoubted skills.

But the player did himself no favours, either. It is one thing not to be playing well in a formation that doesn’t allow you to perform to your best. But that is no excuse for not putting in the required level of effort off the ball.

Time and again Pogba was caught dithering on the ball. And more often than not, his attempts to win back possession were less than whole-hearted.

United fans would have forgiven a player who was being played out of a position, or being asked to do a job which didn’t suit his skills, had he been working hard for the team. But a luxury player not putting in the effort in a struggling team meant that the relationship between player and fans was often fractious.

Video: Pogba verbal altercation with #mufc fans after the game #mulive [@colcournioni] pic.twitter.com/QDbyCqgQbF

— utdreport (@utdreport) May 12, 2019

Pogba's return of 39 goals in 233 appearances is a paltry return for a player with his attacking talents.

There is plenty of blame to go around for Pogba’s largely unsuccessful spell at Manchester United. Not all of it on the Frenchman’s back.