Blues had lucky escape from Pog
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CITY are on course for a measured, pragmatic and successful transfer window. Two impressive signings have been sealed with more promised.
There could still be exits to keep the squad size at a competitive level, and also recover funds spent on Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez.
Overall, though, City’s aim to deal quickly and decisively looks to be on course to set them up well for another title challenge.
So it is even more curious that the Blues considered a free transfer for Paul Pogba at the start of the summer.
The Frenchman, who will leave United next week when his contract runs out was a real option for City. It would have been a sensational crosscity move that only a few have made, and there is no doubting his quality when he’s at his best.
Except the Reds are getting rid of him because he has rarely been at his best, and his off-field baggage came to outweigh any on-field contributions.
Now, with the release of his ‘Pogmentary,’ City will realise he would have never been a success for them.
Pogba has annoyed United fans by criticising the club for not offering him a new deal – even though he has spent the last two years saying he wanted to leave, spending most of that time either out of action or underperforming.
He says he wants to prove the Reds wrong for not trying to keep him.
But why would they? One good game in 10 (at best) isn’t worth his high wages, and it was becoming clear that if United were to improve, it would have to be without him.
And that begs the question, why would City want him? If he repeated his international form for his club on a weekly basis he may be worth the outside noise, but even on a free transfer it’s hard to see how Pogba would fit in at City. With his brand-focussed documentary, it’s another reminder he would have never worked at the Etihad.
Phil Foden spoke of the club’s team ethos last week, saying: “Maybe we don’t have individual players. We work hard as a team, and believe in each other.”
Even Haaland will have to adapt to Pep Guardiola’s style rather than the Blues adapting to him. As it should be.
Pogba’s documentary speaks of building the player’s brand as equal to his role as a footballer. That’s absolutely fine, however, it’s not the profile of player City have built a squad around.
United belatedly realised that no player is bigger than the club, and the ‘Pogmentary’ won’t do anything to change their mind on that.
City have moved on and had a lucky escape by not making a move.