Paul Pogba says he wants to 'feel loved' at his next club after deciding to leave Manchester United. The Frenchman will officially become a free agent when his United contract expires at the end of the month, bringing to an end his six-year second stint at the club.
Pogba, 29, will leave United exactly 10 years on from the last time he departed by running down his contract. As the Manchester Evening News reported last month, Pogba is expected to rejoin Juventus, whom he joined from United in 2012.
Speaking with UNINTERRUPTED, the France international addressed his future and insisted that his own happiness will be crucial in determining his next move.
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"I just want the best for me. I’m thinking, putting everything together, take my time, and I’m just looking for the best, I want to play football, be myself always, and enjoy what I do," he said. "I need to enjoy what I do because otherwise I cannot perform well. I don’t want to be thinking negatively. We can be losing games, trophies but you have to be happy and enjoy yourself - that’s what I’m looking for."
Pogba was then further pressed on what he wanted from his next club, once again reiterating that his main drives are to enjoy playing football again, and to feel loved on the pitch.
The World Cup-winning midfielder was a divisive figure among fans during his time at United, and last season Patrice Evra admitted his compatriot did not feel loved at Old Trafford.
"Paul does not feel love at United," Evra said. "The ex-players hate him. Some fans don’t like his lifestyle so they hate him. I am not defending him just because he is like my little brother, but people are harsh on him. Paul is just a player in that team. He is not United."
Pogba was revered during his four trophy-laden years at Juventus, and will be warmly welcomed back in Turin should he rejoin the Bianconeri.
Pogba added: "Everybody wants to feel loved, everyone needs that in your soul to feel appreciated. Everything you do even when you grow up, when you do a good thing you like to hear well done, nice, it’s always been like that even adults we need that. It’s always good to feel the work you do is appreciated that you’re doing well that people are happy with yourself.
"I think people around make a huge difference because they cheer you up or they can bring you down - it can be both - so you need them to bring you up. Sometimes you just don’t feel yourself, that can happen, just someone ‘it’s alright, it’s okay,’ even the people that were on the bench they give you a push and it’s important, important to feel it from your teammates because you can bring it up also.
"I like to talk to the people and be a leader but even a leader sometimes needs his teammates to be encouraged, they need to bring him up. Being a leader it’s helping your teammates to the biggest potential, we can fight but it has to be for the good of the player, the good of the team and he brings the level up, brings the positive energy, people trust him, he trusts the people.
"A leader doesn’t need to score, a leader can be on the pitch, do his job right, pushing each other, sometimes you’re tired and you hear someone ‘come on, come back’ all this stuff, he goes he tackles, at the end we all win together, we need someone to push and bring you up when you’re just down you miss a chance in front of goal, you’re down and someone comes tap your shoulder ‘you’re going to score a goal’ just bring the energy up."
