Ralf Rangnick effectively confirmed Paul Pogba is leaving Manchester United – and said he will play him so he can get his dream move to Real Madrid.
World Cup winner Pogba is out of contract this summer and set to leave United as a free agent for the second time after refusing to commit to a new deal.
Pogba is close to a return after injury and Rangnick said he will play him, despite his contract expiring, if only because the midfielder will want to put himself in the shop window for a lucrative move to his preferred destination - which is Madrid.
“Yes of course,” said Rangnick. “By the way, my contract as a manager is also expiring in the summer. So for us, 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.
“For me it's not a question if a player has an expiring contract, the question is how much does he still want to be a part of this group?
“How much does he still feel emotionally and physically on board?
Are Man Utd right to be helping Paul Pogba get his dream transfer? Comment below
“As long as this is the case, why shouldn't Paul Pogba now, after two-and-a-half months of injury, being fully fit again now, play? 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, even if it's only to show enough for a new contract elsewhere.
“He will be highly motivated to do that and so why should I then not play him?
“But, as I said, there's a difference in how players deal with their current situation. How do they handle that?
“If they handle that in a professional way, an ambitious way, of course I will play players, even though they have a contract expiring in the summer.”
