Manchester United confirm Paul Pogba will leave the club this summer as a free agent
Paul Pogba will leave Manchester United when his contract expires at the end of June, the Premier League club have announced.
The academy graduate left Old Trafford as a free agent in 2012 to join Juventus and returned for a then world record fee of 105million euros (£89million) four years later.
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But Pogba, a World Cup winner with France, has had a topsy-turvy time during his second spell with United, who have confirmed the France international will depart at the end of his deal.
United said in the story confirming his departure: “Everyone at the club would like to congratulate Paul on his successful career, and thank him for his contributions to Manchester United.
“We wish him all the best for the next steps on a remarkable journey.”
Pogba scored 39 goals in 233 first-team appearances for United, who he first joined from French club Le Havre in 2009.
A key part of the triumphant FA Youth Cup side of 2011, the midfielder joined Juve the following year and enjoyed a medal-laden time in Turin.
Pogba returned to Old Trafford in 2016 but struggled to live up to the billing, with EFL Cup and Europa League triumphs in his first campaign back at United proving to be his only silverware.
The 29-year-old – a World Cup winner with France in 2018 – is now leaving United on a free transfer for the second occasion, with a return to Juve potentially on the cards.
Paris St Germain, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City are other clubs to have been linked with him in recent months.
Once a Red, always a Red 🔴
Thank you for your service, @PaulPogba 👏#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 1, 2022
Meanwhile, Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan has revealed he is convinced at Ajax defender Jurrien Timber will follow Erik Ten Hag to Man Utd this summer.
“I’m absolutely convinced he’s going to get Timber in at Manchester United,” Van der Kraan told talkSPORT. “I know the player said he has to think about leaving Ajax… I think it was all political talk.
“I think he’s already made his mind up and he will join Ten Hag.”
On what Timber could bring to the Man Utd backline, Van der Kraan added: “He’ll be a really important player for Ten Hag because he can change the build-up from the back. He can change the style.
“If you look at when Rio Ferdinand joined, he was a footballing central defender. Ten Hag will never play with two Harry Maguires. He will want to have a real footballing player in central defence to start the build-up.
“Ten Hag will want to play on the half of opponents, just like Pep Guardiola. He’s a massive fan of Pep. I would almost think that there will be two teams with the same playing style in Manchester.”
