Poll: Does it make sense to tie Pogba down to a new long term contract?

[Focusmate]

Its not in our gift.
The player has been publicly looking to leave United for at least 4 years - throwing plenty of disrespect to the club on the way (unless you believe Raiola is not acting as his agent)
Once covid struck he gave up on a move and started running his contract down instead.
We offered him a new contract already and he didnt sign..,,,
I cant believe Juve Real etc wont take a punt on him as a free agent. Marketing alone pays his way,
He is gone at the end of the season - I personally wont be wishing him success.

 

[Marwood]

Like I said in another thread if we plan on getting Conte then gotta keep Pogba. They worked great together once, Conte clearly knows how to use him.

If not he is a bit of a liability and a detriment here. Ole doesnt want to use him in the midfield and he is not a left winger, plus Rashford will be back soon.

Is he the same player Conte had back then? Looks to me like he's already dropped one or two levels physically. So I don't think its as straightforward as just teaming up again.

It's for that reason, the physical decline, I wouldn't be giving him some massive contract now.

 

[YeahYeah]

Is he the same player Conte had back then? Looks to me like he's already dropped one or two levels physically. So I don't think its as straightforward as just teaming up again.

It's for that reason, the physical decline, I wouldn't be giving him some massive contract now.

Hm who knows you might be onto something. He does look sometimes like hes lost a step.

Off topic but I think the same happened to Martial. Remember before him and Rashford I thought were pretty equal in terms of pace. Nowadays I dont even see Martial as a player with pace.

But anywho back to Pogba. I still think he was the best player in Euro 2020. He was so incredible for France. But yeah not sure what to make of him at United. Jose called him a virus directly and Ole sort of seems to agree with that, Ole considers him a liability and a detriment in a midfield position. He doesnt say it but its obvious. He prefers Fred ffs.

 

[Ali Dia]

I think we would be making a mistake paying him 400k a week.
I would rather we got Tchouameni and Kessie with both costing less in wages than him alone, and with a high workrate.
I also think Bruno and the forward line would benefit more with these 2 players in our midfield.

This isn’t a bad take

 

[Hammondo]

Hm who knows you might be onto something. He does look sometimes like hes lost a step.

Off topic but I think the same happened to Martial. Remember before him and Rashford I thought were pretty equal in terms of pace. Nowadays I dont even see Martial as a player with pace.

But anywho back to Pogba. I still think he was the best player in Euro 2020. He was so incredible for France. But yeah not sure what to make of him at United. Jose called him a virus directly and Ole sort of seems to agree with that, Ole considers him a liability and a detriment in a midfield position. He doesnt say it but its obvious. He prefers Fred ffs.

See this is the problem, people look at the creativity he provided in a few games, but don't actually look at how things went overall.

The France midfield was poor in Euro2020, they failed to dominate the midfield battle multiple times against weak opposition.

He does flashy stuff, fine, but he doesn't run a midfield and requires babysitting too often.

 

[pocco]

Just seen these quotes from last night...

Quizzed on the possibility of heading back to Juve's home ground at club level, the 28-year-old told Sport Mediaset post-match: “I always talk with my former teammates at Juventus, [Juan] Cuadrado, [Paulo] Dybala… Now I’m a Man Utd player, I still have a year on my contract, then we will see.

"I want to finish the season well there, then we’ll see."

Asked whether he feels good whenever he visits Turin, Pogba added: "Yes, of course!”

Sounds like he's planning on waiting until he's practically out of contract to decide.

I think he's been playing us along, dangling the carrot about staying, so he can get his free transfer and massive cash grab.

 

[NewGlory]

See this is the problem, people look at the creativity he provided in a few games, but don't actually look at how things went overall.

The France midfield was poor in Euro2020, they failed to dominate the midfield battle multiple times against weak opposition.

He does flashy stuff, fine, but he doesn't run a midfield and requires babysitting too often.

100% this

 

[harms]

It's a really tough choice for the simple reason that if we don't do that, we're losing a very valuable asset for nothing. Again.

But if we want to build a sustainable model for the future, it's probably better to let him go. The issue is, we're not really building one at the moment, even though we're getting some quality signings, so I have no confidence whatsoever that we will replace him with right players.

The best choice would've been to sold him for big money last summer but no one was willing, sadly.

 

[NZT-One]

I agree with the posters that this could leave us in a bad state. I don't know if the numbers are correct, but if he really wants to get paid 400k per week, then thanks and goodbye. He isn't wort that kind of outlay, just like DDG isn't worth the 375k or Martial and Rashford their 200+k. We shouldn't make the same mistakes again. Seems like Salah and VVD are on little over 200k for Liverpool - I think, that tells us what the current state with ManUtd is.

Pogba is an awesome player, unique player who, I think, could absolutely thrive in an environment, where a top manager forms a top team exactly the way so Pogba has a stage to be awesome. But we are not at this point and for Pogba's sake, I wish he could go somewhere where he can collect a few more trophies.

I am not against keeping him because I absolutely can see him and Rashford taking turns at the LM spot depending on the opponent or situation but certainly not for 400k. Give him 200k fix and if necessary 150k in performance based bonus, reachable targets - I am not even against finding a way to create the contract in a way to takeaway the risk of injury from Pogba (or at least share it in between club and player).

 

[NZT-One]

It's a really tough choice for the simple reason that if we don't do that, we're losing a very valuable asset for nothing. Again.

But if we want to build a sustainable model for the future, it's probably better to let him go. The issue is, we're not really building one at the moment, even though we're getting some quality signings, so I have no confidence whatsoever that we will replace him with right players.

The best choice would've been to sold him for big money last summer but no one was willing, sadly.

I agree, what hampers us is the indecisiveness. But we shouldn't do a mistake just to try to rectify a past mistake, we should have sold him earlier, at some point, we have to accept the consequences. Maybe arrange some sort of player swap in January but the chances are indeed low.

 

[Kostov]

Calm down mate. It's based on Pogba not sticking to the centre when he plays there and us not seeing Bruno playing for us as an #8 (apart from that first half he played as a United player).

I am calm, sorry if it comes out as rude, just I think it's very cheap argument, "superhuman", some want to portray that out midfield/CDM woes are so horrific, when in reality we are a very badly run football club, which neglects team problems and expects some things to solve by themselves. And as soon as we solve one problem, there is another. By the time we find a partner for Pogba and Bruno, they will probably be past their best.

Also, this is flawed logic "Yes Pogba should be tied down to a reasonable contract extension because as it is, we are absolute shambles in centre midfield even with him as an option."

Pogba should be tied down to a new contract, because we lack the quality in the position he plays, among other things like, why lose a player worth 80m pounds for nothing? And yes if he does leave we automatically need 2 midfielders, while also functioning on a 150m yearly budget. So I think my point is clear. Even if he does leave, I hope we get some transfer fee to reinvest in a replacement.

Because we are a shambles, also with Pogba, we should tie him down to a new deal? Doesn't really make sense given the premise. Unless you are trying to say that Pogba does not contribute to us being a shambles. But then you also infer that Pogba does not make us not be a shambles.

I meant the quality even with him as an option is pretty disappointing,, we are left with very very average set of players who offer zero quality in most aspects of the game. He is the only player who CAN play that further behind and offer some footballing quality, even as inconsistent as he is.

 

[Kostov]

That would be madness as he has one year left on his contact.
If Pogba leaves as a free agent at the end of his contract and we pick up Brozovic as a free agent it could be a better fit for us and it would probably work out cheaper as well.

We have done some pretty stupid things in the past, like paying 40m for Matic so don't rule anything.
Yes picking Brozovic on a free would be a good option I agree, but loosing Pogba for nothing is very bad deal for us however you put it.

 

[Hammondo]

I am calm, sorry if it comes out as rude, just I think it's very cheap argument, "superhuman", some want to portray that out midfield/CDM woes are so horrific, when in reality we are a very badly run football club, which neglects team problems and expects some things to solve by themselves. And as soon as we solve one problem, there is another. By the time we find a partner for Pogba and Bruno, they will probably be past their best.

Pogba should be tied down to a new contract, because we lack the quality in the position he plays, among other things like, why lose a player worth 80m pounds for nothing? And yes if he does leave we automatically need 2 midfielders, while also functioning on a 150m yearly budget. So I think my point is clear. Even if he does leave, I hope we get some transfer fee to reinvest in a replacement.


I meant the quality even with him as an option is pretty disappointing,, we are left with very very average set of players who offer zero quality in most aspects of the game. He is the only player who CAN play that further behind and offer some footballing quality, even as inconsistent as he is.

Hes not close to worth 80m, no club has ever bid for him, even when he said he wanted to leave or at any point when his contact length is running out.

 

[kouroux]

See this is the problem, people look at the creativity he provided in a few games, but don't actually look at how things went overall.

The France midfield was poor in Euro2020, they failed to dominate the midfield battle multiple times against weak opposition.

He does flashy stuff, fine, but he doesn't run a midfield and requires babysitting too often.

The days of midfielders doing that by themselves are over. Even at his best, in Juventus, he was never that player.

 

[Hammondo]

The days of midfielders doing that by themselves are over. Even at his best, in Juventus, he was never that player.

He was never that player because he was never good enough, pirlo did it for him.

CMs or DLP are supposed to dictate play, it's their main job.

 

[RUCK4444]

See this is the problem, people look at the creativity he provided in a few games, but don't actually look at how things went overall.

The France midfield was poor in Euro2020, they failed to dominate the midfield battle multiple times against weak opposition.

He does flashy stuff, fine, but he doesn't run a midfield and requires babysitting too often.

Your describing every midfielder we have and others have said you won’t find a Scholes who will run the midfield and tempo of the game.

Hes much (fecking much!) better than any midfielder we have.

Take him out of this squad and our midfield is barely top half of the table level in terms of quality, certainly not top 6 quality.

 

[Hammondo]

Your describing every midfielder we have and others have said you won’t find a Scholes who will run the midfield and tempo of the game.

Hes much (fecking much!) better than any midfielder we have.

Take him out of this squad and our midfield is barely top half of the table level in terms of quality, certainly not top 6 quality.

With him our midfield is not top half of the table, with him our midfield is the main reason we drop points.


Other clubs find central midfielders who can do the core basic central midfield job, why don't we have even basic standards for a CM? None of our midfield is good enough, we should be buying multiple and it should have happened seasons ago.

 

[shamans]

See this is the problem, people look at the creativity he provided in a few games, but don't actually look at how things went overall.

The France midfield was poor in Euro2020, they failed to dominate the midfield battle multiple times against weak opposition.

He does flashy stuff, fine, but he doesn't run a midfield and requires babysitting too often.

If finding passes and runs into box is flashy. He's a box to box midfielder and not a DLP.

 

[MrSingh2002]

He's not disciplined enough be a CM in any midfield.

It's a pipe dream that United have chased for 5 years. Until we bought Bruno, every single midfielder we've had has been brought through to get the most out of Pogba. And it's never succeeded for more than a handful of games until the opposition has adapted.

Now that we finally have a system that allows us to create lots of chances, the worst thing we can do it ruin it by asking Bruno to drop back into a 3.

We have to stick to a 4-2-3-1, and Pogba doesn't fit into that except as a squad player behind McFred and Rashford.

McFred ahead of Pogba in a 4231.... We'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[Hammondo]

If finding passes and runs into box is flashy. He's a box to box midfielder and not a DLP.

Well he doesn't play at all like a btb, he does 0 defensive work, hes half a btb. This is just as bad, how is this your argument?

 

[Freak]

Your describing every midfielder we have and others have said you won’t find a Scholes who will run the midfield and tempo of the game.

Hes much (fecking much!) better than any midfielder we have.

Take him out of this squad and our midfield is barely top half of the table level in terms of quality, certainly not top 6 quality.

So much better than the manager would rather push him out to the wing and play inferior midfielders... in midfield. Pogba is a good attacker, but he's not a consistently good midfielder. It's time to let him go.

 

[kouroux]

He was never that player because he was never good enough, pirlo did it for him.

CMs or DLP are supposed to dictate play, it's their main job.

So you'd agree that it's pointless to expect him to be what he's never been in his career right ?

 

[shamans]

Well he doesn't play at all like a btb, he does 0 defensive work, hes half a btb. This is just as bad, how is this your argument?

I just checked your other posts on Pogba and you're regurgitating the same cliched nonsense about him so I think it's best not to bother. Crazy how people can be critical of a player who was one of our brightest just last week.

 

[RUCK4444]

With him our midfield is not top half of the table, with him our midfield is the main reason we drop points.


Other clubs find central midfielders who can do the core basic central midfield job, why don't we have even basic standards for a CM? None of our midfield is good enough, we should be buying multiple and it should have happened seasons ago.

I find it funny that Pogba gets the blame but the likes of McFred and Matic get a free pass when teams like Everton without their key forwards can run through us like were an under 16's side.

Your arguments for disliking him are every bit as applicable, if not more, to our other midfielders, yet you choose to pick on Pogba when he already has more assists this season than the others will gain collectively across the next two seasons. I get he can play better than he has in the last few games but to pick on him as our primary issue in midfield in mental to be fair.

 

[Bebestation]

What has happened to deep lying playmakers?

If there was a good one then id be like sure - I'd pack Pogba and drop him to Juventus myself. The only reason I have any sort of worry is that I simply do not know a CDM who can pass and do some dictating in the back; even if Pogba is not completely up to that, that's his role here.

 

[RUCK4444]

So much better than the manager would rather push him out to the wing and play inferior midfielders... in midfield. Pogba is a good attacker, but he's not a consistently good midfielder. It's time to let him go.

He has one limitation that has been known since before we bought him, he needs a defensively elite player next to him. This should be news to nobody. And we don't have one.

The opportunity to push him further up and get him on the pitch presented itself with Rashford's injury, with the option to play what is supposed to be a more solid McFred pairing as the midfield two, except they have been shite. That's the only reason he's been playing wide.

If we had the personnel he would be playing where he does for France, the club and manager want to keep him so they obviously plan to play him there once we have done what we should have done properly in the beginning and partner him with an elite DM. Think about it, why else are we trying to keep him, the club and manager agree or why else do we want to keep him - unless you think we want to play him LW , shame it's taken them years for the penny to drop.

 

[Hammondo]

So you'd agree that it's pointless to expect him to be what he's never been in his career right ?

Yes, so hes of little value to us as Bruno is better.

 

[Hammondo]

I just checked your other posts on Pogba and you're regurgitating the same cliched nonsense about him so I think it's best not to bother. Crazy how people can be critical of a player who was one of our brightest just last week.

Good argument.

 

[Hammondo]

I find it funny that Pogba gets the blame but the likes of McFred and Matic get a free pass when teams like Everton without their key forwards can run through us like were an under 16's side.

Your arguments for disliking him are every bit as applicable, if not more, to our other midfielders, yet you choose to pick on Pogba when he already has more assists this season than the others will gain collectively across the next two seasons. I get he can play better than he has in the last few games but to pick on him as our primary issue in midfield in mental to be fair.

Where did I write they get a free pass?

Why are you judging a central midfielder on assists?

 

[clarkydaz]

Namedrops Juventus on international break. Im shaken off my feet

 

[Hugh Jass]

If Roy Keane was in the same dressing room as him it would be hilarious. He would despise how he behaves.

 

[Bebestation]

Namedrops Juventus on international break. Im shaken off my feet

He just does kind of seems like a Virus doesn't he?

Like not his attitude - but he does seem like one of those Coutinho like players where you see him leave your club but your club kind of gets better.

Again, the only reason I'm even remotely worried is because it seems like deep lying playmakers are not available anymore or something.

 

[largelyworried]

What has happened to deep lying playmakers?

If there was a good one then id be like sure - I'd pack Pogba and drop him to Juventus myself. The only reason I have any sort of worry is that I simply do not know a CDM who can pass and do some dictating in the back; even if Pogba is not completely up to that, that's his role here.

Why do we specifically need a deep lying playmaker at all? Loads of teams play without one, its hardly a must-have. Just depends on who else you line up with.

 

[RUCK4444]

Where did I write they get a free pass?

Why are you judging a central midfielder on assists?

I'm not, but at least he brings quality to the table. Your telling us we need to get rid of our most creative player in the team, not just midfield yet I don't see you saying a bad word about the bang average midfield that's left behind if he leaves.

 

[Bebestation]

Why do we specifically need a deep lying playmaker at all? Loads of teams play without one, its hardly a must-have. Just depends on who else you line up with.

I know, but still it's why I value a bit of Pogba though because after Bruno we have not much creativity and boy do we need it at times.

 

[JPRouve]

He was never that player because he was never good enough, pirlo did it for him.

CMs or DLP are supposed to dictate play, it's their main job.

Pirlo didn't control a midfield by himself, he was helped by two of Pogba, Marchisio or Vidal. There isn't a midfielder out there that manages or has managed a midfield on his own.

 

[clarkydaz]

He just does kind of seems like a Virus doesn't he?

Like not his attitude - but he does seem like one of those Coutinho like players where you see him leave your club but your club kind of gets better.

Again, the only reason I'm even remotely worried is because it seems like deep lying playmakers are not available anymore or something.

He doesnt even fit the team anymore, i dont get it.

 

[Hammondo]

Pirlo didn't control a midfield by himself, he was helped by two of Pogba, Marchisio or Vidal. There isn't a midfielder out there that manages or has managed a midfield on his own.

He dictated play alone.

 

[Hammondo]

I'm not, but at least he brings quality to the table. Your telling us we need to get rid of our most creative player in the team, not just midfield yet I don't see you saying a bad word about the bang average midfield that's left behind if he leaves.

Because as a CM there are more important parts to his game which he is very poor at.

Because this is a thread about pogba, not the others. I like to keep on topic unlike others

 

[El Jefe]

Let him go. I never like to say "what would SAF do" but in this instance I will and Fergie would have got rid of him about three years ago if we're being honest.

Ridiculous player on his day but I'm over having discussions of how to get the best out of him.