Rangnick reveals the good news on Pogba
The manager feels Pogba will be at his best even if it is only to show enough for a new contract elsewhere
Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick believes that Paul Pogba will be partly motivated by a desire to impress other clubs who want to sign him on a free transfer when he returns to action for Manchester United next month report The Times.
Pogba, 28, returned to training on Monday for the first time since he injured his thigh in November and is expected to be considered for selection in two weeks’ time.
Throughout the whole of last year, Pogba and his representatives gave no suggestion that he wanted to remain at the club beyond the end of the season, so he is expected to leave when his contract expires on July 1.
“Why shouldn’t [I play] Paul Pogba now after 2½ months of injury?” Rangnick, the interim manager, said. “He is fully fit again and he also wants to show up. He wants to show the fans of Manchester United, the board, the whole world what kind of player he can be and even if it’s only to show enough for a new contract elsewhere, he will be highly motivated to do that and why should I then not play him?
“My contract as a manager is also expiring in the summer. We have the same goal. We have the same ambition to be as successful as we can possibly be in the next three or four months.”
Pogba is a talented player but the admission from Rangnick that the midfielder is partly motivated by a need to impress any would-be suitors will annoy those fans who think that he has taken United for a ride over the past couple of years.
United have made repeated attempts to get Pogba to sign a new contract, but he has been reluctant to come to the table and it looks almost certain that he will leave on a free transfer.
Paris Saint-Germain are thought to be the most likely destination for Pogba, who cost United £89 million when he returned to the club from Juventus six years ago.
Rangnick has earmarked United’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on February 4 as a potential comeback date for the former Juventus man.
“Paul Pogba had his first day of training with the whole group [on Monday] and, in the first training session, he showed what kind of extraordinary player he could be,” Rangnick said.
“He will not be available for the two games this week but hopefully after the break, when we have the cup game against Middlesbrough and the away game at Burnley, I think he could be an option.”
