Article by SJ Romney
Because he’s worth it..
I usually have a certain style when I write for TF but for this piece I’m just going to get straight to it…
He came with a bright future. So bright Manchester United thought he was worth fighting for. Worth taking away from his home country out of his natural environment with promises of a better future. Nearly 3 years later Paul Pogba’s short Manchester career is at a crossroad. Quite staggering given he’s lived up to all of his precocious billing.
So is he stalling over money ?
Yes & no. First of all he wants to play and prove his worth in a Manchester United shirt, so far these chances have been limited. Instead he takes a watching brief from the bench and to be fair when everyone is fit that is quite an achievement for any 19 year old in a United shirt. However given the injuries over the winter period, watching the second choice right back & 4th choice winger at best playing central midfield in a game that may yet cost Manchester United the title was a sobering moment for young Pogba.
Playing Pogba would have been a gamble.. but a bigger gamble than playing an un(match)fit Rafael & light weight Park??.. Do me a favour.
So on to the money..
If Manchester United believe he’s only worth 25k a week, then on that basis he’s way down the pecking order, and the player has to believe if he signs that contract that he will go back to the reserves or be shipped out on loan. If however the club paid him nearer the £45k a week he reportedly wants, that would be a sign of commitment from the club that they see him as a first team player in the near future.
Will he play regular first team football for likes of Juve or Milan & will they pay him 45k a week ?
Probably not next season, no.
So why would he leave then I hear you ask!??
Fact is Manchester United no longer pay renewal fees, therefore he’d have to pay as much as 20 – 30% of his wages to his agent. Where as Milan or Juve will pay the agent up front with no reference at all to his wages.
So what would United lose by letting the player leave ?
All the wages & training invested in the player so far would be wasted. Manchester United would then have to replace the player for probably A LOT more money than what Pogba is asking for.
If we pay Pogba more money won’t that set a precedent ?
Not really… if a player isn’t worth that amount don’t pay him that amount. If he is that’s great for United as it means the club don’t have to pay extravagant transfer fees saving millions in the process, a win / win situation.
So in my opinion due to all of the above I expect the player, the agent & the club to reach a compromise and that Paul Pogba will be a Manchester United star of the future.
He’s 18 not 19.
“First of all he wants to play and prove his worth in a Manchester United shirt” – I’m sure that’s the dream of every player who isn’t in the first team but quite simply he’s not ready to do that on a regular basis yet.
What non-first team playing footballer (except the City lot like Bridge, Tevez etc), particularly a young one is given a wage of 45k a week before they’re a regular?!
You don’t know that Juve and AC Milan wouldn’t put him in their first team, you’re guessing.
The figures thrown around such as “Manchester United believe he’s only worth 25k a week” are just guess based on websites such as givemefootball
You’re right that if he stays they’ll reach a compromise but that’s basic common sense as with every deal. United won’t be bullied by an agent to pay a stupid wage for someone who’s not in the first team.
Of course it would set a precedent – Fryers has played more in the first team than Pogba this season yet if Pogba gets 45k a week and Fryers is offered say 5k a week he’s going to be pissed off, that much is obvious.
I don’t doubt his potential but right now that potential isn’t worth 45k a week. Imagine United offer him that now and he gets into the first team, within 18 months he’ll want another pay rise. United’s wage structure is relatively sensible – that would through it massively.
I admire your stance but cannot find a single reason for paying an 18 year old way way over the odds relative to what he’s achieved and where he is in the pecking order at the moment – as you say, he’s that far away that Rafael and Park were preferred to him.
Like.
If he is such a talent why hasn’t he performed well 4 reserves
his performance is patchy
d.petrucci is better
Just how many 18 year olds get paid $20K per week to play for the reserves? Let alone $40K per week? The demand is unreasonable to the body of work Pogba has provided so far. I thought you were suppose to reward players for what they’ve done and not what might they do? It’s a real shame that Pogba got involved with money hungry agents, especially Italian agents with speed call numbers to Italian clubs.
fair point mate, you’ve made a proper analysis of the situation. if pogba goes at the end of the season, a replacement will cost upwards of £10m (that’s 5 years in pogba wages). which route will manchester united take? the ball is firmly in their court.