The Paul Pogba saga finally came to an end on Tuesday as the midfielder re-joined Manchester United for a world record £89m fee. It is a statement of intent from the club as they attempt to rebuild their club under Jose Mourinho. The aim for this season is to break back into the top four as a minimum, but the transfer business done by the club could make them contenders to regain the Premier League title, three years after their last triumph. Although its been an underwhelming period since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, there are signs that better times are ahead.
Despite the fact Manchester United aren’t in the Champions League, the arrival of Paul Pogba shows that they can still attract the very best players in the world. The French midfielder is already one of the best and will improve a lot over the coming seasons. He would improve any team in the world and there was interest from Real Madrid this summer, but Manchester United managed to close the deal.
The signings that the club have made this summer have been encouraging, but Pogba takes the club onto the next level. He was included in the Fifa team of the year in 2015, showing how good he has been over the last 18 months. At the age of 23, he is going to develop further and could even become the best player in the world.
Although Manchester United lost the Frenchman in 2012 for around £800,000, it is a great deal to bring him back. The finances of football have grown out of control and transfer fees should be ignored as a result. There are several things that affect a transfer fee, including ability, profile and potential, all of which Pogba possesses in spades. He isn’t the best player in the world, despite being the most expensive. However, he has the potential to be the best and that is why he has cost at much as he has.
In terms of what he will bring to Manchester United, Pogba is a complete midfielder, who can excel in a number of midfield roles. He showed this at the Euros as he was utilised in a deeper role, dictating the play from behind the attackers. However, he is best when being allowed to play box-to-box. His powerful dribbling ability, coupled with his excellent eye for a pass means that he can inflict damage in the attacking half.
On Sunday against Leicester, Manchester United lacked a creative presence from deep in the midfield. They were reliant on the front three to create chances, but the addition of Pogba will allow Manchester United to launch attacks from deep. He is also a player who will score frequently from midfield, which the club have lacked for several years. This will mean they are less reliant on their attackers to score goals.
His personality will add a lot to the Manchester United dressing room, alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as both have self-confidence bordering on arrogance. This is needed at the very top of the game, especially at Old Trafford, as some players in the past haven’t been comfortable carrying the weight of the shirt. Pogba will have no difficulty in that department, while his signing will also be a boost for the dressing room. There is a big club mentality emerging again under Jose Mourinho and the world record signing of Paul Pogba signifies that.
The fee is eye-watering for a number of reasons, mainly because he was at the club before and left on a free transfer. However, this all needs to be overlooked as the positives far outweigh the negatives. Manchester United have signed their first genuinely world class player for a long time and he is one who will improve their team no end. It was a mistake that he wasn’t given a real chance before he left, but that has no been corrected, and Manchester United possess one of the best talents in football for the next five years at least.
