Gunners awaiting new Art teacher
HEADING FOR MADRID?
FOR Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, it was the deal of which he was most proud. Bringing Paul Pogba back to United in 2016, for a world-record fee of £89million, was an onerous transfer to pull off but a personal triumph for Woodward, who had been held accountable for a succession of poor signings in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. Landing Pogba from Juventus was viewed as a coup, with the then23-year-old recognised as one of the world’s best midfielders. Three-and-a-half years on, though, Pogba’s signing can be filed among the lengthy list of costly deals that have failed to come off for United since Ferguson’s departure in 2013. Angel Di Maria, Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin, Radamel Falcao, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez – now Pogba. There have been high points for the 26-yearold – the Europa League and League Cup wins in his first season
Pogba and Mourinho, left, ended up not seeing eye to eye, but Pogba was happy at United’s recent annual Christmas hospital visit in Manchester back at United – but he has never come close to justifying his status as their most expensive player.
Jose Mourinho championed Pogba when the pair arrived at United together in the summer of 2016, building his side around him, but their alliance soon soured following a series of indolent displays.
After a high-profile spat in training, in the full glare of TV cameras, Mourinho relegated Pogba to the bench for the last three Premier League games of his United reign, their relationship broken.
There was an immediate recall when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came in, which culminated in Pogba reminding United what they had been missing, with 13 Premier League goals and nine assists.
But as United’s form fell off a cliff under Solskjaer towards the end of last season, missing out on the Champions League following his permanent appointment, Pogba and his agent, Mino Raiola, began agitating for a move.
This season has been a familiar tale of regression, albeit with the caveat of a foot injury that has sidelined Pogba since September 30.
Uploading footage to social media of himself playing basketball when unable to train because of his ongoing foot injury was met with dismay by some United fans. And there was further controversy this week when footage again posted on social media showed Pogba dancing freely at his brother’s wedding in France, followed by the revelation he had been struck down by a mystery ailment 24 hours later, further delaying his long-awaited comeback.
Both episodes, set against the backdrop of the summer saga over his future, painted a picture of a player with his own interests firmly ahead of those of his employers. The real reason for Pogba’s failure to make the desired impact seems to be down to the player himself, and his reluctance to fully embrace the challenge of taking the club back to the top.
In recent months Solskjaer, left, has talked of wanting players desperate to give their all for United and put the club first. If it is true that a talent unfulfilled is the greatest waste of all, Pogba is the embodiment of that maxim, a player blessed with sublime talent but lacking the ability to showcase it on a consistent basis.
The right player at the wrong time for United? Perhaps, but with the team thriving in his absence, with players hungry to pull on the famous red shirt and give their all for the badge, he is unlikely to be missed when he eventually leaves United for the second time. signing was expected back in action this week, but a mystery illness has further delayed his comeback, despite footage of him emerging over the weekend dancing at his brother’s wedding. Pogba, left, is understood to still be determined to force his way out of Old Trafford, ideally next month when the transfer window reopens, with Real Madrid leading the race to sign him.
United are adamant they will not allow Pogba to leave in January, with Solskjaer insisting the 26-year-old remains a key part of his plans, despite his prolonged absence.
But there is a growing belief within United that Pogba’s continued absence is a sure-fire indication he is on his way. Pogba was given permission to attend his brother’s wedding in France a week ago, while he continued his rehabilitation, ahead of his expected comeback against Colchester in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
But illness put paid to that potential return date, with Solskjaer still unable to confirm when the midfielder will play again.
After initially enduring a difficult spell without Pogba, United have thrived without him in recent weeks, with huge Premier League wins over Tottenham and Manchester City, as well as reaching the last 32 of the Europa League as group winners and the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
While United have publicly stated Pogba, who has 18 months left on his current contract, is not for sale, privately there is an acknowledgment of his desire to move on to a new challenge.
Any club wanting to sign Pogba will have to pay in the region of £150m.
PAUL POGBA - MAN UTD (ALL COMPS) Games Played 141 Games Started 133 Goals 31 Assists 31 Total Shots 384 Shot Conversion Rate 8.1 Chances Created (inc assists) 232 Passes 8,874 Passing Accuracy 84.1 Touches 11,661
MAN UTD – SINCE AUGUST 2016
GOALS Marcus Rashford Romelu Lukaku Anthony Martial Paul Pogba Zlatan Ibrahimovic
TOTAL SHOTS Marcus Rashford Paul Pogba Anthony Martial Romelu Lukaku Jesse Lingard
TOUCHES Paul Pogba Ander Herrera Ashley Young Nemanja Matic Antonio Valencia
ASSISTS Paul Pogba Marcus Rashford Anthony Martial Juan Mata Ander Herrera 51 42 38 31 29
388 384 232 205 202
11,661 8,124 8,033 7,651 6,729
31 24 22 16 16
CHANCES CREATED (INC ASSISTS) Paul Pogba 232 Juan Mata 183 Marcus Rashford 154 Anthony Martial 151 Jesse Lingard 135
PASSES Paul Pogba Ander Herrera Nemanja Matic Ashley Young Juan Mata
8,874 6,491 6,373 5,011 4,848
MIKEL ARTETA is likely to be confirmed as Arsenal’s manager today before watching his new charges from the stands at Everton tomorrow.
The assistant coach said his goodbyes at Manchester City’s training ground yesterday and then headed south to sign a three-and-a-half-year deal with the Gunners.
But Arteta will have little time with his new squad and is not expected to start his tenure from the dugout.
Arsenal were last night completing the paperwork on the move and there was bemusement at the Emirates amid claims they had not spoken to their Premier League rivals about the appointment.
Arteta returns to a club who have won just one of their last 11 games and a sense of crisis still looms large after Unai Emery was sacked as manager at the end of last month.
The former Arsenal midfielder will have limited funds to spend in the next two windows, with the Gunners facing a fourth straight season out of the Champions League if they fail to make the top four.
Teenage defender William Saliba will join from St Etienne next summer but Arteta, 37, knows he faces a battle to keep star strikers Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.
New skipper Aubameyang has stalled on contract talks because he is unhappy with the current situation at the club, while Lacazette is desperate to play Champions League football.