3 Destinations for Pogba if he leaves Manchester United

Paul Pogba has been a big topic of late. There has been talking of a major rift between him and Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho.

Moreover, his persona and off the field behaviour have been critiqued in some quarters. Whilst he has done nothing illegal, nor otherwise objectionable from a moral and/or legal standpoint, his effervescent personality, wild (by some's standards) haircuts, and dabbing have caught some ire.

And whilst being at United, which he joined for a then world record fee, he has not shone to the level that many demand. He has been inconsistent at best, and his form for France has been better - leading to being a World Cup win a couple of months ago.

But if the relationship between him and Mourinho becomes irreparable, then where does or should he move to? What other teams would best utilise his skill set? Which other managers could best develop him?

Does he even need to move? And could a return to Juve be in order?

United at this moment are in a weak situation, and there are various factors affecting this, including the supposed "third season" Mourinho effect, and the overall lack of direction from the Glazers/Woodward.

So will Pogba leave or not? It's unknown at this point, of course.

But I'm going to put some clubs out there, for now, to see which could best meld with his traits and potential.

He recently made the shortlist for FIFPro World XI, and would be a prime asset for any club willing to get his services. So let's see where he could potentially go if he opted to leave Old Trafford.

#3 Barcelona

Sevilla v FC Barcelona - La Liga — Pogba would definitely relish the opportunity

This is an oft-mooted club, and the positives are many:

A club of equal standing to Man United, in terms of trophies, revenues, global scope, and tradition. A player of his talents and achievements needs to play at the very highest level, and there are very few clubs bigger than Barca.
Messi. Enough said. But really, who wouldn't want to play alongside Leo?
A realistic chance of winning the CL, which United don't have this season at the least. Yes, their enemies Liverpool reached the final, when there were better teams that didn't (Barca, Bayern, etc.)

Barca may not play to the exact template of the classic 2011 Pep team. But the DNA of that team is still present. And this could suit Pogba, as he can excel in a quick pass and move style.

Iniesta has left, and Busquets is 30. Whilst Pogba is a different kind of player to them, he is certainly a high-profile figure who could fit into their midfield. Messi himself is over 30, and the entire team may need revamping soon. Pogba could be key in rebuilding the team, considering many of the best and brightest under Pep and Luis Enrique have either moved or are ageing.

United are said to have rejected a bid from Barca, though this is understandable considering Pogba is a prime asset. If he really opting to join there, he can always talk with Alexis to see what it's like - he was at Barca before he joined Arsenal.

#2 Real Madrid

Girona FC v Real Madrid CF - La Liga — Lopetegui could bring the best out of Pogba

With Modric ageing, Los Blancos could be another option. Moreover:

A club on Man United's global footing. Real Madrid is the current European Champions, and in several cases are bigger than United
Whilst Ronaldo has left, Modric, Marcelo, Kroos, Varane, etc. stand as global-class players
Varane is a French national teammate and World Cup winner
As ever with Los Blancos, their goals and aspirations are high. The stated aim is to win the fourth CL in a row and to regain La Liga from their deadly rivals, Barca

Los Blancos also need more names to rejuvenate an ageing team, with several top players nearing 30 or beyond it.

Not all "Galacticos" have worked out, as the side featuring Beckham, Ronaldo (de Nazario), Zidane, etc. didn't achieve what it intended. But to compete for the league, and to win more European Cups Real need to sign big, and ensure any post-Ronaldo transition is as smooth as possible.

#1 Juventus

Image result for juventus pogba — Pogback v.2?

When Pogba joined United from Juve, it was called #Pogback.

Can this be a reverse Pogback? Who knows?

There is a strong talk of Juve wanting him back, and adding another piece of the puzzle towards the Champions League.

Dybala is muted for a swap deal, though this may just be paper talk. Nonetheless, there are a number of reasons why this could work:

Juve is a club of United's stature, in success and global terms. Big players need the biggest environments
Ronaldo. Enough said. Who wouldn't want to play with him?
Serie A is locked down for the most part, though competition is emerging through Napoli, Inter, and possibly AC Milan could make a comeback soon
The Champions League is a holy grail for Juve. It hasn't won it since1996 ,and Ronaldo was bought in large part to rectify this. Pogba could be another piece of the puzzle.

Other mentions

There are few other teams who could afford or benefit from him, largely due to already holding good midfields. The other Premier League teams may not be options, for these reasons. And United seldom sell top stars to rivals.

China? With respect to the Chinese league, it may offer sound monies. But the level of competition is not befitting of a World Cup winner and past-world record transfer holder.

There are few clubs, or leagues, out there who could satisfy Pogba's prospective wage demands and/or playing level.

There may be some that I've missed, but overall there must be numerous clubs out there who could benefit if Pogba opts to leave. And if he does, he doesn't need United really.

A player who is: