PAUL POGBA WILL not leave Manchester United in January but must play for a club that can challenge for major trophies in the longer term, according to his agent Mino Raiola.
Having been reportedly desperate to leave Old Trafford in the previous transfer window, Pogba appears almost certain to see out the season with the Red Devils as manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has no desire to sell.
The midfielder has played only seven times in the Premier League in 2019-20 due to an ankle injury and, with suitors Real Madrid and Juventus apparently content not to force the issue, a transfer next month appears highly unlikely.
Raiola previously stated that Pogba wants to stay at United, but he has made it clear the club must show they can match the World Cup winner’s ambitions.
“Paul has always respected Manchester United, as long as Manchester United has respected Paul,” he told Sky Sports News.
“The only one that talks for Manchester United and Paul is Ole. I go by what he says; he will not move. That’s okay and we are good with them.
“Paul is struggling a little bit with his injury and that’s our main interest now. There’s one objective that Paul has and that is to perform as well as possible with Manchester United.
“He’s a top pro and I think that his heart is in the right place with Manchester United.”
When asked if he could see Pogba at the club in a year’s time, Raiola replied: “Yes, I can, but in a club that I hope fights for the league and hopefully the Champions League.
“Is that strange? Am I the only one that’s worried? Is the owner not worried? I think that everybody that is in love with Manchester United is worried about that.
“I’m worried about that for my player. I’m not a fan of Manchester United but I have a very direct interest.
“As long as Paul is in Manchester United, he wants to win trophies with Manchester United. That’s the kind of player he is and he will not act differently.
“Like Ole’s saying, it’s a work in progress now this club. He’s says he’s working on a team for next year. Let’s hope that it goes well for him because the world needs Manchester United on the top.
“Clearly they are not where they think they should be.”
Raiola also says he speaks to United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, not Solskjaer, when it comes to Pogba’s situation.
“If Ole has ideas about my player and he wants to talk to me about it, he knows my number,” he added. “Until that moment I talk with Ed Woodward because that’s the person that I talk to in the club.
“I only know that Paul respects him and loves him for what he has done in the past with him as one of the players.”
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