Former Manchester United assistant Rene Meulensteen has given a brutal assessment of Paul Pogba’s time at the club as he looks set to leave Old Trafford for a second time.
The midfielder’s contact at United expires at the end of the season, and there has been no indication he will extend his stay. Pogba has been linked with a number of clubs ahead of the summer transfer window, with Paris Saint-Germain having already made an approach.
The France international has faced criticism for his second spell with the club, having returned to Old Trafford back in 2016. Although he has produced glimpses of his brilliance, it hasn’t been on display enough during what has been a disappointing spell.
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Pogba’s departure now looks inevitable after he was left out of the side for Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Everton, which all but ended United’s hopes of reaching the top four. The midfielder did make his way off the bench to replace the injured Fred, although he once again failed to make an impression.
Watching his performance closely was Meulensteen, who was part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s backroom staff when Pogba first left United in 2012. The 58-year-old, who has been linked with a return to Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag looks to be edging nearer to being appointed as manager, gave a damning assessment of the midfielder’s second spell with United.
“Failure is a big word but has he lived up to the expectations? I don’t think so,” Meulensteen told Astro Sports. "He knew what the expectations were when he came back, to compete for the Premier League and the Champions League.
“Not everything has clicked with the players around him or the system, does he actually suit the Premier League? What frustrated me a little bit is Paul has never really outspoken his commitment to United. He’s never come out there and said he’s going to bring United back to where they belong.
“There’s always been issues over his future and that doesn’t sit well with the fans. It’s not just one player though, there’s many more issues that need to be addressed before United are going to get back on the right track. Since he’s come back it hasn’t really happened for him or United. I think he will leave now.”
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