Graeme Souness said in his Sunday Times column that ‘you can’t trust’ Manchester United’s Paul Pogba ‘as a central midfielder’, because he ‘doesn’t understand the role’, reports the Manchester Evening News. Ahead of the 2018 World Cup, Pogba’s role in the France team is still unknown and Souness believes he should be taken out of the starting lineup as a result.
It’s not the first time the Sky Sports pundit has been critical of the French international since his 2016-move to United from Juventus and it’s unlikely to be his last. In his latest column, he said Pogba didn’t understand the midfield role and would be better served as an impact player for club and country.
“Like Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, Didier Deschamps struggles to find a system that gets the best out of Paul Pogba. He should draw a line under that. You can’t trust him as a central midfielder and, ultimately, that’s how Deschamps will see it. He could use Pogba as an impact substitute.
“If you’re 1-0 up, you’re not bringing him on to close the game down. If you’re chasing the game, he might do something, but still doesn’t understand the midfield role properly.”
Pogba has struggled for consistency at Old Trafford since making his return two years ago. The 25-year-old cost United £89m and the expectation of many may be resting heavy on his shoulders. Pogba has racked up 88 appearances in all competitions in his second stint in Manchester, winning the Europa League and League Cup, but his future is unknown.
The box-to-box midfielder lost his place in the side to Scott McTominay briefly last season and hasn’t looked entirely happy playing under manager Jose Mourinho – whom he’s reported to have had a falling out with. Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain continue to be linked with his signature, but Pogba remains a United player for the time being.
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