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Man Utd news: Why Paul Pogba will NOT be allowed January transfer - Marcotti
MANCHESTER UNITED will not be able to sell Paul Pogba until next summer “at the very earliest” - even if they want to.
That is according to European football expert and ESPN FC pundit Gabriele Marcotti.
Pogba’s relationship with Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has hit a new low this week.
Mourinho stripped the midfielder of the vice-captaincy role at Old Trafford, claiming no player is bigger than the club.
On Wednesday cameras caught an apparent confrontation between the duo in training which fuelled more speculation over the situation.
They can’t shift Pogba even if they wanted to until the summer at the very earliest
Marcotti believes the confrontation would have been planned by Mourinho, knowing the cameras were filming.
He reckons the Portuguese is trying to make the club pick between him and Paul Pogba, but cannot understand why because Pogba will not be leaving anytime soon.
“It’s not like these guys show up with drones and start filming,” Marcotti said.
“They were allowed in and I think it was pretty obvious that the manager knew they were there and I think we saw a bit of a performance for the cameras to further reinforce the point.
“To me, the broader issue here is ‘why is he doing this?’. Is he doing this to somehow force the club to choose between him and Pogba?
“That would seem odd since they can’t shift Pogba even if they wanted to until the summer at the very earliest. (Ed) Woodward has already said he doesn’t want to do that.”
Juventus and Barcelona are both said to be open to singing Pogba - but Express Sport understands United would want at least £200m for their record signing.
Marcotti has also questioned whether the situation is the same as with Jose Mourinho and Luke Shaw.
The left-back was often called out by Mourinho in public but has responded and since become a vital part of the United side.
Marcotti added: “Is he trying to do the Luke Shaw treatment on him? You remember Luke Shaw was harangued, thrown under the bus many, many times, completely destroyed.
“And now he comes back and at least he’s getting playing time and supposedly he’s been remoulded in Mourinho’s image.
‘Is he trying to do the same with Pogba?
"I don’t know but to me this seems pretty extreme behaviour from a guy that has engaged in a lot of extreme behaviour in the past.”
United are back in Premier League action on Saturday when they visit West Ham (12.30pm).