Pogba’s price weighs heavy
IT MUST be no easy task struggling with the weight of the largest transfer fee in history on your shoulders, even when you have an agent such as Mino Raiola who helps out with most of it.
But on the evidence of this season so far, Paul Pogba has not proved equal to it, and that includes whatever he manages to do in the Europa League final.
This has been a difficult week for the young Frenchman, whose transfer from Juventus has been laid out in all its gory detail this week.
Last night he offered no further evidence that he could prove a snip. Indeed, for £89.3million, Pogba continues to be a huge disappointment.
When Jose Mourinho unveiled Pogba last summer, he suggested the midfielder could be the “heart of the club for the next decade”.
It was the sort of bold statement such an outlay demanded. But seven goals from 91 shots and three assists in the league is a disappointing return.
Pogba may have 3.23million Twitter followers and an emoji of his own head but he has yet to dominate a match for United.
And while, at 24, there is plenty of time for Pogba to develop, last night his first two efforts said much about his state of mind: the first sailing over the bar after 15 minutes, the second sailing slightly lower – more Row X than Z – but no more threatening.
His reaction said much, with his frustration visibly bubbling.
Early in the second half, he dwelt too long on the ball and had it stolen, much to the annoyance of the crowd. At other times, the match appeared to swirl and eddy around him without him getting his feet wet.
There were odd signs of promise.
A swivel on the ball with a touch of keepy-uppy in the first half eased him past his marker and had more than a touch of Dennis Bergkamp about it.
A gritty tackle on Pione Sisto, when the striker threatened to unleash a shot on the edge of the box just after the hour mark, also brought the crowd to their feet in encouragement.
It is the sort of battling they like for their £89m quid around here.
And a run in the Champions League could recoup United upwards of £25m towards the cost of their most controversial signing if he can do something special in Stockholm.
It would be a perfect answer to those who continue to doubt him which, includes plenty in the stands at Old Trafford.