POGBA NOT FOR SALE!

United desperate to keep wantaway midfielder despite strong interest from Barcelona

MANCHESTER United have reiterated that Paul Pogba is not for sale, and insist the wantaway star hasn’t asked for a pay rise.

Pogba’s future at Old Trafford has been plunged into doubt after the club’s £89 million (RM466 million) record signing told teammates that he wants to leave amid strong interest from Barcelona.

There were suggestions that Pogba and his agent Mino Raiola, who earned £41 million from the player’s return to United from Juventus two years ago, are angling for a new contract to give him parity with the club’s £500,000-a-week top earner Alexis Sanchez.

But United have denied that Pogba has asked for a pay rise — he is set to earn a basic wage of £9.62 million this season plus a £3.78 million loyalty bonus — while once again stating that the 25-year-old midfielder will not be sold.

Although the transfer window does not close in Spain until the end of this month, giving Barcelona plenty of time to make their move, the English deadline is today. That means United would have little time to sign a replacement as they prepare to open the season at home to Leicester tomorrow.

It’s understood that United have already turned down a low opening bid of £44.6 million plus two players — Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes — and will resist any further offers from the Catalan giants.

Pogba has made it known to players and staff this week that he wants to be sold and is understood to have sent a text to United chief executive Ed Woodward reiterating that message, though the club deny this.

The Frenchman was believed to have agreed a £350,000-a-week deal with Barcelona in principle through representative Raiola and has his heart set on a move to Spain.

Raiola declined to comment on the situation when contacted on Tuesday, saying: “I will never make declarations about Paul. You have to speak to Manchester United.”

Pogba is a key player for United and a symbol of the club worldwide — even more so after winning the World Cup with France this summer.

But his relationship with manager Jose Mourinho has become increasingly strained, fuelling his desire to leave Old Trafford for a second time and move to Spain.

Former United star Rio Ferdinand told yesterday’s edition of the Daily Mail that Mourinho needed to fit the team around Pogba’s sublime talent, but accepted the player needed to adapt too.

“It’s down to the manager to get the best out of him, setting the team up and setting Pogba up in the right way to achieve the best,” said the former England central defender.

“But Pogba needs to play his part in that.

“It’s a case of the player and manager getting an understanding for each other and getting the best out of the player.”