It takes some youngster to stand up to Alex Ferguson.
But Paul Pogba knew his star was rising, and when he could not convince the former Manchester United manager that he was ready for game time, he simply sought it elsewhere.
The confident and exceedingly talented 20-year-old midfielder is now a key member of Antonio Conte’s Serie A winning Juventus team, and has a bright international career with France upon him.
It’s safe to say that Pogba’s courage of conviction and steely self-belief have born fruit, and he made the right decision to take his talent from Trafford to Turin.
But it could have been very different according to Pogba, who says he deflected the attentions of a host of top clubs, having set his heart on The Old Lady.
"Sir Alex Ferguson tried to keep me at Manchester United, but he didn't get very far," he told Sky Sport Italia.
"Other clubs were tracking me but I only had Juve in my mind. At the time, I heard from Chelsea, Arsenal and Milan, but nobody is like Juve."
"Since childhood I've always liked Juve and supported that team," Pogba continued, pointing to the legacy of French stars making names for themselves at the club, like the legendary trio of Michel Platini, Didier Deschamps and Zinedine Zidane.
"For the French this club means a great deal, as so many French champions played in Turin, so that's why I liked them. I am happy to be here and I want to win many trophies with this jersey."
