Pogba told ‘you will never be captain of United again’
Paul Pogba has been told by manager Jose Mourinho that he will never captain Manchester United again, according to reports yesterday.
Preparations for last night’s Carabao Cup match against Derby were disrupted by claims that the club-record signing’s tense relationship with the manager has reached a new low.
Pogba was not part of the United squad for the thirdround tie and was reported by
The Times and ESPN to have been told earlier in the day, in front of the whole squad, that he would not captain the side again as he does not embody what the club is about.
The incident was expected to be broached with Mourinho before or after last night’s match at Old Trafford.
In his programme notes for last night’s match, Mourinho said that he was unhappy with certain players after Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Wolves in the Premier League.
“Every team that play Manchester United are playing the game of their lives,” he wrote, “and we need to match that level of aggression, motivation and desire – 95 per cent isn’t enough when others give 101 per cent.”
The France international captained the side in the Premier League openers against Leicester and Brighton in the absence of Antonio Valencia, just as he did in last week’s Champions League win at Young Boys.
Pogba scored two and set up the other in the 3-0 victory in Switzerland, only to under-perform on Saturday’s return to league action against Wolves.
The 25-year-old, who was dispossessed in the move that led to Joao Moutinho’s equaliser, is thought to have annoyed the manager with his comments after the match.
“We are at home and we should play much better against Wolves,” Pogba said. “When we are at home we should attack, attack, attack. That’s Old Trafford. We are here to attack.
“I think teams are scared when they see Man United attacking and attacking. That was our mistake today.”
Pogba suggested on Twitter on Monday that his comments had been “twisted” to “create drama” at the club.
The latest development will only increase speculation as to whether Pogba will remain at Old Trafford much longer.
He has been linked with a move to both Real Madrid and Barcelona in recent months and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola claimed in April that Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola had offered the France international to the Premier League champions.