Pires appeals for Man United patience for Pogba

Robert Pires has argued that Paul Pogba’s price tag does not mean he is immune to the difficulty of transitioning from Italy to England.

The Frenchman has come out in defence of his compatriot after criticism of Pogba (who has played more minutes than any other Premier League player this season).

“He had a lot of pressure because some people were talking about his price tag, but you must not forget that Paul Pogba is a young player and in France we say he needs time to adapt,”Pires told Sky Sports.

“I think that is very important as the Premier League is very hard, difficult and tough, it is not only for the game, it is every morning in the training sessions.

“I know Paul, I am very confident for him, but I think Man United is a good choice for him and if you work with Jose Mourinho you can learn a lot.

“The first season is very difficult, it is like a transition for him as he used to play for Juventus in Italy and so everything is different. You cannot compare France, Italy, Spain, Germany, UK, they are not the same.

“And that is why the time adaption is very important for Paul Pogba and the other players.”