■ JOSE’S WARNING TO POGBA:
IF Paul Pogba thought his starring display for World Cup winners France represented some kind of moral victory over Jose Mourinho, he is set to discover it was anything but.
The £89m midfielder put a frustrating season at United behind him in spectacular fashion in Russia.
His long-range strike in France’s 4-2 win against Croatia in the final was his crowning moment - confirmation of ability to impose himself on the biggest of occasions.
His form for his country - after being dropped by Mourinho for Scott McTominay at times last season - appeared to turn the pressure on his manager at Old Trafford.
Why could Didier Deschamps inspire the type of world class performances out of Pogba that Mourinho could not?
Why could Max Allegri do likewise at Juventus?
Suddenly Mourinho looks like the odd man out.
But if Pogba - currently holidaying in Los Angeles just a short drive away from United’s training base at UCLA - is under the impression his manager will be more inclined to indulge him in the season ahead, he is sadly mistaken.
Instead, Mourinho has gone out of his way to turn the tables on United’s record signing.
His comments here in the US have underlined his refusal to soften his stance where Pogba is concerned.
The 25-year-old will not be allowed to be a luxury in a midfield three that will also include Nemanja Matic and Fred.
And if he is to replicate his success at international level at Old Trafford then the onus is on him to raise his levels, rather than Mourinho compromising his own beliefs to accommodate the midfielder.
Despite describing Pogba’s performances in the latter stages of the World Cup as ‘absolutely brilliant’ Mourinho’s next comment spoke volumes.
“I hope he understands why he was very good.”
He went a step further in an interview with ESPN this week.
“I don’t think it’s about us getting the best out of him,” he said. “It’s about him giving the best he has to give.
“I think the World Cup is the perfect habitat for a player like him to give the best.
“Why? Because it’s closed for a month, where he can only think about football.
“Where he’s with his team on the training camp, completely isolated from the external world, where they focus just on football, where the dimensions of the game can only motivate.
“During a season, you can have a big match then a smaller match, then one even smaller, then you can lose your focus, you can lose your concentration, then comes a big match again.”
A simple congratulations, it was not - and the early evidence is that Mourinho’s relationship with his highest profile player is threatening to overshadow yet another campaign after Pogba was dropped for key games in the second half of last season.
Senior sources at Old Trafford insist they have no intention of selling Pogba - meanwhile his performances at the World Cup will strengthen their resolve for two reasons in particular.
Firstly it was confirmation he has the talent to be considered among the world’s elite.
Secondly, his considerable commercial appeal is expected to increase exponentially as a result of the role he played in his country’s triumph.
United’s marketing department know Pogba is a gold mine - the natural successor to Wayne Rooney as the global commercial figurehead of the club.
But that will matter little to Mourinho, who would much prefer him to be a consistent influence in the heart of his team, rather than a player who can shift a lot of shirts.
If he is to do that, he will have to do it Mourinho’s way, as his manager has been only too happy to remind him of that fact.