August 29th 2024.
There has been a lot of talk about the true intentions behind Paul Pogba's return to Manchester United in 2016. According to his former teammate Patrice Evra, the move was actually a ploy to embarrass legendary manager Alex Ferguson. Pogba had left the club in 2012 for Juventus, where he flourished and became a global star. But in 2016, United brought him back for a record-breaking fee of £89.3 million, while Jose Mourinho was at the helm. However, Evra believes that the real motive behind the transfer was to send a message to Ferguson that they could bring back their former player for a huge sum after letting him go for free.
In an interview with The Overlap, Evra shared his thoughts on the matter. He said, "Manchester United brought Paul Pogba back because they wanted to humiliate Ferguson. They were essentially saying, 'you let him leave for free and now we're going to bring him back for £80 million'." Evra and Pogba were not only teammates at United, but also at Juventus and with the French national team. So, Evra had a close eye on Pogba's career and even advised him against returning to Old Trafford. He claims that Pogba actually wanted to join Real Madrid, but the Spanish club couldn't match United's offer. Pogba's agent, Mino Raiola, was the one who sealed the deal without informing Evra.
Evra also revealed that Pogba felt lost at United, unlike at Juventus where he had a clear role and support from his teammates. He said, "He told me he felt lost. At Juventus, he knew his position and his teammates would cover for him. But at United, he was exposed. He didn't have the same support and it affected his performance on the pitch." This is something that Wayne Rooney, another former United player, also agreed with. During the discussion, Rooney mentioned that the club was more focused on the commercial side of Pogba's return, rather than helping him settle and perform on the field.
Rooney said, "I think the club was more interested in the merchandise aspect of Pogba's return and they didn't do enough to protect him. He was under a lot of pressure and it definitely affected his game." The former England striker also didn't support Evra's claim about Ferguson, but he did feel that the club let Pogba down in terms of support and guidance. It's clear that Pogba's return to Manchester United was a highly debated and controversial move, with various opinions on the true intention behind it. But one thing is for sure, it has sparked a lot of discussion and will continue to do so in the future.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
