What went wrong for Paul Pogba at Manchester United

Following the announcement that Paul Pogba’s six-year stint at Manchester United has ended, there's a general feeling that he didn’t meet expectations.

Pogba was signed in 2016 and was expected to lead the Red Devils to a new era of success and domination. However, it can’t be denied that the Frenchman's signing has not had the desired effect on the Red Devils.

Some Old Trafford faithful will hold fond memories of Pogba’s heroics at the club, particularly at the start of this campaign. But for long periods throughout his Manchester United journey, there have been fewer heroics than difficulties.

Let us all get this straight, Paul Pogba is a phenomenal player. He won the FIFA World Cup and signed for Manchester United for a world-record fee of £94.5 million. However, Pogba’s abilities and commitment have constantly been called into question, especially with his performances for the Red Devils.

With the star set to leave the Theater of Dreams on a free transfer once again, we are left to ponder his next move. In this article, we will try to piece together exactly what went wrong for Paul Pogba at Manchester United despite his mercurial talent.

So without further ado, let’s get into three issues that went against the World Cup winner during his six-year stay at Old Trafford:

Manchester United could not harness Pogba's talent

Paul Pogba, while immensely talented, has only ever excelled under two coaches - Massimilano Allegri and Didier Deschamps, his two managers outside United. The Frenchman lifted back-to-back Scudetti under Allegri during their spell together in Turin and established himself as one of the best midfielders in Europe. This earned him a famous blockbuster move to Old Trafford.

Pogba has also enjoyed a successful spell with the French national team under Deschamps. The pair have tasted glory together, lifting the World Cup and the UEFA Nations League trophy.

Both managers have succeeded by playing Pogba in a role that lets him dictate how he shuttles between attack and defense. However, Manchester United have failed to pair the Frenchman with a team or tactic that would have got the best out of his immense abilities. The broader issue of United’s directionless approach to team building has also contributed to Pogba’s unimposing look in the Red Devils’ uniform.

Constant criticism by the English press

Remember that the World Cup winner primarily plays as a central midfielder. One of the biggest criticisms levelled at him by the English press has been his alleged ineffectiveness on big occasions for Manchester United.

Despite the criticism levelled at the World Cup winner, Pogba has delivered an admirable amount to the team's cause from his position. While at United, the Frenchman has scored 39 goals and laid on 51 assists from 233 games for the Red Devils across two spells.

While these are far from chart-topping numbers, they present a good return from midfield, which make the Frenchman’s criticism in the press seem most strange. While the British media and pundits are well known for building up stars to tear them down, the situation with Paul Pogba and the constant attack by the press has done little to help.

Pogba's inconsistent performances for Manchester United

It’s right, even fair, to blame Pogba’s rocky United stay on the British press, as well as how poorly United have been run recently. It is only right and fair that the player receives some blame as well.

The Frenchman is an immensly talented player and that talent is why Manchester United spent a world record fee to re-sign him from Juventus. However, since his return to Old Trafford after initially being released as a youngster, he has not delivered on his immense potential for the club.

Pogba has long been accused of simply failing to deliver top quality performances with consistency at Old Trafford since his return, despite his obvious gifts. However, his inability to deliver performances consistently for the Red Devils, along with his bloated transfer fee, have attracted much criticism his way.

The French star has also not been helped by the antics employed by his representatives with or without his blessing. Mino Raiola, his former agent, was often at loggerheads with the Manchester United establishment, contributing to the bad blood between Paul Pogba and certain club legends.

While this article oversimplifies Paul Pogba’s six years at Manchester United, we can all agree that these factors contributed to his failed potential. The World Cup winner, however, looks set to put his turbulent time at Old Trafford behind him.

Pogba now looks set to embark on another chapter in his career this summer, with the club announcing his departure. Despite his rocky time at Old Trafford, the Frenchman will likely have his pick of the European giants and could move to a top club.

Several reports have linked the midfielder with a return to Turin via Juventus. Other reports have noted some interest from European champions Real Madrid. Pogba will have to make his next move carefully as he heads into the twilight years of his career. He will have to decide without confiding in his long-time friend and agent Mino Raiola, who sadly passed this year.