Next Man Utd boss may already have Paul Pogba replacement after Rio Ferdinand comments
An offer is said to have been on the table for some months, but Pogba, who will have cost United £179.6 million in transfer fees and salary by the time his contract expires, wants to wait and see who is appointed as the club’s next manager before making a final choice.
However, United is unlikely to hire a new manager until the end of the season, when it will be easier to lure managers away from their current clubs.
Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag, who is currently at PSG and Ajax, are thought to be the board’s top two targets, however, conversations have yet to take place.
Whoever walks through the door will undoubtedly face a daunting assignment, and not just because of United’s current situation.
Four players, including Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard, and Juan Mata, are poised to leave when their contracts expire in June.
There will be substantial cash to work with, but attracting the appropriate personalities is not always as simple as it appears.
That is why, in the case of Pogba, an internal solution might save the club millions.
Donny van de Beek has fallen out of favor at Manchester United, but his talent was on display in his debut for Everton against Leeds on Saturday, as the Toffees won 3-0 at Goodison Park.
The Holland international dominated proceedings, demonstrating what a valuable asset he can be to his new team – and potentially parent club Manchester United.
His spectacular performance drew additional plaudits from ex-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who claims the display was not a fluke.
“I’ve spoken to a couple individuals at the club, and they’ve stated that he’s gone in there and raised the levels, training-wise,” he remarked on Vibe with FIVE.
“First and foremost, he’s a wonderful boy, but you can see a lot of people thinking, ‘Wow, he’s this brilliant, they must be unbelievable at Manchester United if he can’t get in.'”
While there have been doubts about Van de Beek’s ability to play alongside Pogba at United, a new manager with new ideas could be the key to accommodating both midfielders.
Ten Hag, for example, oversaw Van de Beek’s meteoric ascent to prominence at Ajax, where they reached the 2018/19 Champions League semi-finals.
Van van Beek’s ability is definitely not the issue; rather, it is the management under whom he has played.
It may not work out for him at United, but he has yet to get a fair crack at the whip, and writing him off before that happens would be premature.
The 24-year-old, who is trying to make Holland’s World Cup squad for Qatar, can play as a No 6, No 8, or No 10 in the midfield.
That kind of adaptability and quality demonstrates that there are ways to accommodate him in United’s lineup, and if Pogba can move out of the way, that’s one less impediment to deal with in the future.
When figures like Frank Lampard and former England teammate Rio Ferdinand are praising you, it’s apparent there’s a lot of talent in the player’s locker.
If Pogba decides to leave United after six years, there could be a tremendous opportunity for a new manager to start over.
