Paul Pogba has offered the clearest indication yet that he will leave Manchester United, taking a swipe at Ralf Rangnick and suggesting he has wasted five years of his career.
The Frenchman is out of contract in the summer, with renewal talks having broken down months ago, and he is widely expected to leave United with the likes of PSG, Juventus and Real Madrid all interested in his signature.
Pogba won the Carabao Cup and Europa League in his first campaign with United, but has not won any silverware in the five years since – the longest trophy drought the Red devils have experienced since the 1970s.
The midfielder was a serial title winner at Juventus, and won the World Cup with France, and now he has given a frank assessment of his poor second spell at Old Trafford as well as the club’s latest trophyless season.
After saying he wants to ‘catch up’ on his barren years at United, Pogba told Le Figaro: ‘You have to be honest, the last five seasons have not satisfied me – really not at all.
‘This year it is dead, we won’t win anything. Whether it is with Manchester United or at another club, I want to win trophies.’
Pogba also took aim at Rangnick, saying it has been impossible to find any consistency when his role and midfield partners have regularly been changed – an issue he does not have with the national team.
‘It’s simple with France, I play and I play in my position – I know my role and I feel the confidence of the coach and the players,’ he continued.
‘It’s normal to feel a difference at Manchester United because it’s hard to be consistent when you often have a change to your position, or the team system, or your partners.
‘I get along very well with [France boss Didier Deschamps], he gave me a role that I know, but at Manchester United do I really have a role? I ask the question but I don’t have an answer.’
Pogba also opened up on the robbery he suffered last week and said it was a double blow after also being left out of the starting lineup against Atletico Madrid – something he was not expecting.
‘I am ok, my family too. I had quite a surprising week, with the Champions League match where I learned that I was not going to play,’ he explained, having come off the bench against Atletico.
‘And, when I went home, I discovered that my home was robbed following the entry of three people who stole my safe. There was my mother’s jewellery in there, my World Cup medal. What scared me the most is that my two children were at home with the nanny during the incident.
‘She heard everything, called my wife and security, then locked herself with the boys in a room. For several days after she was in shock. The most important thing is that my children are doing fine.’
