Man Utd: Pundit accuses Ed Woodward of lying about transfers
Manchester United star Ed Woodward would feel personally wounded should Paul Pogba leave Old Trafford this summer, reports claim. The France international remains keen on leaving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side behind, with Real Madrid and Juventus both in the mix for his signature. And Woodward, it seems, wants the 27-year-old to stay put.
Manchester United chief Woodward pushed the boat out to sign Pogba back in the summer of 2016, making the France international the world’s most-expensive player in a £89million transfer deal.
The midfielder was a top target for Jose Mourinho, who had been ushered in as Louis van Gaal’s replacement mere months later.
Pogba and Mourinho enjoyed a solid first season together, helping United win both the EFL Cup and Europa League trophies.
But, for the most part, the 27-year-old has struggled for consistency ever since his stunning return from Juventus.
Last summer he expressed a desire to leave after the Red Devils had narrowly missed out on a place in the top four under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
And he still hopes to quit Old Trafford, even with the coronavirus making moves to Real Madrid and Juventus unlikely at this time.
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But he could now be set to feel crushed if Real meet United’s asking price for Pogba in the transfer window this summer.
Meanwhile, speaking recently, United legend Rio Ferdinand claimed the Red Devils themselves were partly to blame for Pogba’s failure to flourish.
The midfielder has got nowhere near winning either the Premier League or Champions League titles throughout his second spell at Old Trafford.
And Ferdinand feels United haven’t been competitive or good enough to coax the best from their midfield general.
"Has he been the Paul Pogba that we come to expect when he’s a £90million transfer? I’d argue that he hasn’t been as consistent as we’d like,” Ferdinand said in a Q&A on his YouTube channel.
“But at the same time, this has been a squad in absolute transition, had multiple managers.
“It’s like a business. If you invested £90m in a certain part of your business, you’d make that the jewel in your crown and build around it and I don’t think that’s what’s happened with Paul Pogba.
“If you’re spending that much money and he’s a superstar like he is, you know what he’s bringing to the table, he’s won multiple things, been instrumental in doing that, how are you not gonna build that around him?
“It doesn’t matter who you bring in, if the team isn’t consistent and the team is still trying to find themselves.
“Yes, you can bring in great players but for them to make that huge difference and be that catalyst – to take them from a low ebb to being Champions League winners and league contenders – I think it’s impossible to expect.”