The France international is in the final year of his contract and will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with another team in January.
Follow Us
If Paul Pogba wants to leave Manchester United, interim manager Ralf Rangnick has said that he will not try to persuade the 28-year-old to stay. The France international is in the final year of his contract and will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with another team in January. Rangnick was asked what he could do to persuade Pogba to sign new terms and whether it was worthwhile to keep a player who did not want to stay at the club.
“I wouldn’t say he’s not worth keeping,” the interim manager said. “But players have to want to play for a big club like Manchester United. If a player does not want to play Manchester United in the medium or long term, I don’t think it makes sense to convince him to change his mind.”
“But let’s wait and see, I have spoken with him [Pogba] for 15 minutes over the phone a few days ago [Tuesday]. Let’s have him come back, get fit, train with the team and see where we stand, how the team has developed by then. He can be an important player but this is true for all the other players we have. I’m not just the coach of Paul Pogba, I’m also the coach of all the other players and my ambition is to make them better, improve each individual player, and this is only possible by improving the performance of the whole team,” Rangnick added.
Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, stated that the player was open to a move, but only to clubs offering comparable wages. “We have many offers for him, including a contract extension,” he told the German TV channel Sport1. “We’ll see what’s best for him.”
Also Read – Manchester United news: ‘Too early’ for January transfer plans, says Ralf Rangnick
Pogba was set to return from a rehab programme in Dubai for his calf injury on Friday, with Rangnick scheduled to meet with the 28-year-old on Sunday. Rangnick stated that in the future, he wants all recovery to take place at the club.
“As far as I can tell the medical department is really very good, with many different approaches towards rehab,” he said. “I would not want players to do their rehab abroad or anywhere else – the decision on Paul was taken before I came. I have already spoken to the medical department – to Steve [McNally] our doctor, to Robin Sadler [head of rehab] – that in the future I want players with injuries to stay here,” Rangnick concluded.
Rangnick reportedly believes Pogba is best suited to play at the base of midfield in his preferred 4-2-2-2 formation. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Nemanja Matic are both doubtful for Saturday’s trip to Norwich, according to the manager.
