Lionel Messi transfer leaves Manchester United with only one option for Paul Pogba – Tyronne Marshall

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Just as they had hoped that Paris Saint-Germain’s transfer deal would be revealed in August that caught the attention of the football world. But unexpectedly, Lionel Messi was at the Parc des Princes show instead of Paul Pogba.

Paris Saint-Germain’s stunning coup for Messi from Barcelona was a story that quickly picked up pace, but the detrimental effect of Pogba and Manchester United is that the union between the player and the club will enter a sixth season.

Having signed Messi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum, Sergio Ramos and Achraf Hakimi this summer, the well is sure to run out in Paris – or Qatar – by now. Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi insists the Messi deal falls within Financial Fair Play guidelines, but it certainly ends the possibility of Pogba moving there this summer.

We will never know if PSG have confirmed their temporary interest in Pogba, whether United view the price cut deal as a reasonable move and whether the 28-year-old has wanted to go home. Instead, he will spend at least the last year of his contract, making it at the club for three years since he spoke of his desire for a new challenge.

Pogba’s debut in the new season will be his 200th with United, but whether that number far exceeds 250 will depend on what happens over the next 12 months and how World Cup winner Ole Gunnar Solskjaer manages this season.

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There is some hope that Pogba will so far be able to extend his contract at Old Trafford, but it seems likely that he will delay a decision on that, to assess how United will form this season and what kind of market may be available to him in 2022.

He has always dreamed of returning to Juventus or moving to Real Madrid, but both are not possible at the moment. PSG will be, and the temptation to play with Neymar, Messi and Kylian Mbappe should not be underestimated, even if the Ligue 1 winners’ medal is as meaningful as the egg and spoon race on a school sports day.

Solskjaer deserves great credit for the way he treated Pogba throughout his time at the club. The two have a really warm relationship and when Mino Raiola’s last verbal bombshell fell last December, Solskjaer expertly pulled the pin out. Many United fans would have gladly cut ties with Pogba and his annoying agent there and after, but Solskjaer kept his head and convinced Pogba’s most convincing performance for several years.

He was excellent as a left winger in the second half of last season and then sent a reminder of his midfield qualities during Euro 2020. United’s plan to capitalize on the 4-3-3 more often this season could free Pogba to play in a central position that suits him more during 2021. /22.

But how often we see it depends on how Solskjaer uses a player whose career was not in doubt, but his future is very big. The Norwegian has built a young squad at Old Trafford, and if this is Pogba’s final season, he could do better by giving Donny van de Beek more playing time. However, the addition of Raphael Varane is also an indication that the time to win titles is now. Pogba makes United a stronger team.

He managed 45 minutes against Everton last weekend, but that was his only pre-season job. Given Van de Beek’s form and more prominent role in pre-season, he could start ahead of Pogba against Leeds United this weekend.

How Pogba is handled would be great to see. The best way to convince him to sign a new contract is to win matches and give him a prominent role, but there is also a high risk that United could end up losing the player they spent £89m on for nothing, for the second time. . This wouldn’t look good.

In his day, Pogba could strengthen the United squad, especially in his attack-minded 4-3-3 method. But the real question of this season is how many days he has left as a United player. It can determine the extent of his involvement.

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