It has been the theme of his Manchester United career, a moment of magic followed by a sobering reality.
Paul Pogba scored a beautiful goal this past weekend, a curled effort into the top right-hand corner from way out as the Red Devils mounted an impressive and crucial comeback against West Ham United to secure all three points, but that is perhaps all it was, a good goal.
Pogba's agent, Mino Raiola, caused a stir on Monday when he told Tuttosport that his client, the 27-year-old Frenchman, wants to leave United. If you had seen his goal without prior knowledge of his situation in England, you might have held your hands on your head, speechless at the inch-perfect execution of the strike. Not Red Devils fans, however. A large part of Pogba's homecoming has been deemed disappointing, filled with agent-versus-club rows, inconsistent performances and non-stop rumours. Really, non-stop. This time, it appears the Frenchman will actually get his wish to move on from England, five years (if he leaves at the end of this season) after he was brought back for a club-record transfer fee of €105 million (R1.9 billion), but where did it all go so wrong?
Pogba returned to United a confident 23-year-old with a spring in his step. He had spent four successful years in Italy with Juventus, winning eight trophies and sharing the field with many big names, who all appeared to think highly of him. Among them was Andrea Pirlo, a masterful midfielder in his day, who said in 2016 that Juve players laughed during Pogba's first training session with the club as they could not believe United had allowed such a talented footballer leave for free. They laughed! The Italy legend tipped Pogba to dominate the sport over the next decade, suggesting that the young Frenchman had the ability to take over the mantle from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. And when Pirlo makes a claim that bold, you take it seriously. Now, three and a half seasons later, the man once touted for greatness by one of the game's best-ever midfielders is labelled a flop, with his own club's supporters now desperate to see him go.
"The first day he trained with us we were all laughing. We didn't laugh for any other reason than incredulousness; that a player of such ability could be let go for nothing. I think Juventus are still laughing." - Andrea Pirlo, 2016
From Pogba's standpoint, I don't think it would be a stretch to assume he wants to play in a more consistently competitive team. In four years, he has played just 18 times in the UEFA Champions League, which is little more than half the number of appearances he made in the competition for Juventus. A player of Pogba's calibre will want qualifying for Europe to be a given, not something he and his teammates need to fight for every season. The France star is probably also frustrated with how the club has failed to build around him since his big-money return. United's recruitment has been notoriously poor in many aspects in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, with their failed pursuit of Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho being the latest high-profile embarrassing example of this. The prospect of playing with one of football's leading young talents was said to have excited Pogba, but it all came crashing down fast, and with that, the Frenchman's enthusiasm.
Furthermore, Pogba has been targeted relentlessly by media publications in England, sometimes maliciously, and often regarding matters that do not concern football. This, I can imagine, is quite tiring for any footballer. I'm sure Pogba has felt his name has been used in headlines to sell newspapers and to lure traffic to websites, which is, again, something that is probably hugely mentally draining. The constant bombardment. Every haircut, every holiday, every outfit scrutinised. Taking all of that into consideration, it is easy and even understandable that Pogba portrays himself a victim, a victim of unfair stick, a victim of a poorly-run club, a victim of bad luck. However, while a lot of that is true, what is also true is that Pogba has not done himself any favours when it comes to things he can control, such as his application on and off the field. There are key fundamentals he seems to have forgotten, basic principles that might have helped him keep fans on his side, with arguably the most important one being respect.
"Many things have been said. Of course, all football players would love to play for Real Madrid, it is a dream for me, why not one day?" - Paul Pogba, 2020
Although Pogba has previously referred to Old Trafford as his "home", although he came through the club's esteemed youth academy, the Frenchman has time and time again allowed his agent to speak about United in any way he wishes, to disrespect the club, his manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and previously Jose Mourinho, and supporters. Something he could control, but hasn't. Pogba has himself publicly spoken about his dream of playing for Real Madrid more than United fans would have liked. Although he was only answering questions, he of all people knows the storm his comments create. Something he could control, but didn't. Then, when it comes to the football, the work Pogba is paid handsomely to do, it has been average. It has not been a disaster, as some have suggested, but it has also not been great. His goal contribution rate is almost identical in comparison to his time in Italy, where he contributed to a strike every 190 minutes. In England, across all competitions since 2016, he has contributed to a goal every 195 minutes. He hasn't improved in that area, but he has played in deeper positions, in various different systems, often with less freedom. He has struggled with fitness issues too.
Whether he leaves in the January transfer window or at the end of the season, I do believe the best course of action for all parties would be for Pogba to be sold before the 2021/22 campaign. He is a well-liked figure in the dressing room, and he is rated among the best midfielders in world football by his peers, but selling him for a decent fee and investing that money in a player who wants to play for the club might be the smartest, and most obvious, way to handle this situation.
