When Paul Pogba came to Manchester United in 2016, the world was stunned. Partly, because Pogba arrived for a whopping €105 million, a then-record transfer fee. While he was leapfrogged in terms of the record by many transfers after that, Pogba also lost a ton of his value. A rift with then-United coach Jose Mourinho in 2018 caused him to lose a ton of his playing time. Unfortunately, he has not recovered since and Manchester United will likely not renew his contract past this summer. As he looks set to leave the club, here are the three best landing spots for Paul Pogba if his Manchester United contract does indeed expire.
Best Paul Pogba landing spots
Back to the place where he really started dominating the midfield, Paul Pogba could benefit most from coming back to Juventus. The Turin club never fully replaced him, as most of their midfield solutions produced mostly average players. With the last transfer window, the Italian club did bring in Manuel Locatelli and Denis Zakaria as midfield options, but the third spot in their setup is usually the issue. Everyone is well aware that Pogba is not the same player he was when he got the United owners to put out €105 million for him, but he is still a quality player on his day and could become a long-term solution in the Juventus midfield next to Zakaria and Locatelli.
The biggest issue for that Juventus midfield, without Pogba, is the lack of true creativity. No Juve manager decides to put Argentinian Paolo Dybala in the midfield, so they are usually reliant on blistering runs by right-back Juan Cuadrado. With Pogba as an option, however, the midfield trident could be incredibly stable, defensively and offensively, and the Frenchman would bring a ton of creativity to a midfield bleeding out for it.
Of course, with Weston McKennie there, bringing in Pogba could be counterintuitive, as he would slow down his progression, but there will still be a ton of space for the American, even if Pogba arrives.
In all truthfulness, Paul Pogba played and continues to play best for the French national team. His ability to play that much better when donning the blue kit of France is incredible to see and must be frustrating for most Manchester United fans. While he cannot permanently play for the French national team, he could move to France, and the best (and only) option is PSG. PSG has owners with deep pockets, a need for creativity in the midfield, and ambitions to reach the top of European football. Pogba had some limited rumors to join PSG, but they were mostly disregarded, as any big-name player who is due to leave his club is generally linked to the French club, but it makes sense now.
Firstly, it would be a good financial move for a team already at odds with the Financial Fair Play. Secondly, PSG is bleeding out for some creativity in the midfield. Their trio of Paredes-Veratti-Danilo Pereira is good, but it lacks a guy who can really join the attack and supply them with some great opportunities. Thus, most of the season, Lionel Messi was the one needed to drop back to get the ball to his partners in the final third, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
Finally, it would be coming to France for Pogba, a place where he seemingly feels the best at. With PSG, he could stay permanently there, while also playing for a team with the highest of ambitions, helping them finally reach the much-anticipated European glory.
Newcastle United
Now, this will surprise many, but Newcastle's inclusion on this list is here for two principal reasons. Firstly, all big clubs that have the capacity to get Paul Pogba, other than the two mentioned above, do not really need a boost in the midfield. Real Madrid has their present and future already decided, and Barcelona does as well. Bayern Munich is in a similar boat, while Liverpool and Manchester City have better options right now.
Secondly, with the infusion of cash into Newcastle, they will be a huge threat to the top spots in England next year. Pogba might be one of their rare players they do not need to pay for, so it is an incredible opportunity for him to play for a club rich in history, rich in resources, and with giant aspirations.
Pogba might be their first piece toward a true fight for European football, outside of the signing of Kieran Trippier in January. Newcastle is going to be active next summer, with incredibly deep pockets, so it is difficult to assess how Pogba could fair on a club that might only retain a few players from this roster.
Still, those few from this roster might be one more reason for Pogba to join an up-and-coming project. Allan Saint-Maximin is a stud, just like Joelington, and the midfield duo of Pogba-Joe Willock might be one to tussle with the best in England.
Once again, it is difficult to gauge how Newcastle will look next season, but they will surely be up there with the best clubs in England, and getting Pogba might be a huge step in the right direction for the Magpies.
Follow Us
Subscribe