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Manchester United's board reportedly turned down the chance to extend Paul Pogba's contract with the club back in 2020.
The French midfielder had 12 months remaining on his initial contract in the summer of 2020. According to the Mirror (via The Athletic), Pogba sent multiple text messages to then-boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to renew his contract.
Reports state that the Norwegian manager informed the hierarchy about the player's desire, but they refused to act accordingly. Instead, the United board opted to trigger a one-year extension to Pogba's contract, which would see him stay at the club until 2022.
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The upside to this clause was that the club would not have to better Pogba's already-surging weekly wages of £290,000. The downside is that it left the player crestfallen and led to him thinking differently about his long-term future at the club.
As it turns out, Pogba recently announced his farewell from the club this summer, after running down his contract at Old Trafford. Despite bringing him in for a club-record fee of £89 million, the French World Cup winner is leaving the club once again on a free transfer as he did in 2012.
He registered a total of 39 goals and 51 assists in 233 games across all competitions for Manchester United.
What next for Paul Pogba after Manchester United?
Reports have linked Paul Pogba with major clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, among others. However, it is Juventus who are believed to be closest to agreeing a deal for him.
The Mirror reported that Pogba's new agent Rafael Pimenta has reportedly held fresh talks with the Bianconeri, who are open to seeing him return to Turin this summer.
It will now go down to the finer details of the deal before we can see Pogba pick his next club. The Frenchman is still only 29 years of age and has plenty of football left in him.
Moreover, with the FIFA World Cup in Qatar set to be held later this year, he will be keen to get back to his best form and help France defend their title.
