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Pogba is still improving
- Updated: July 28, 2016
Manchester United would not be getting the finished article in Paul Pogba but that should be a cause for excitement rather than concern. From his early days at Old Trafford through to his years in Italy, the Pogba story is one of continual improvement, writes Adam Bate.
Jose Mourinho has already had a taste of the noise that can surround Manchester United. So many club legends, so many opinions. As Mourinho put it, these icons have the opportunity to “create a more difficult situation” given the influence that they wield.
Perhaps it was Paul Scholes who Mourinho had in mind given that the United great had recently spoken out over the proposed fee to be paid to bring Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford. “I just don’t think he is worth £86m,” said Scholes, in typically forthright fashion.
“For that sort of money, you want someone who is going to score 50 goals a season like Ronaldo or Messi. Pogba is nowhere near there yet.” Understandably, the headlines followed. But perhaps the key word in that sentence was the last one. Nowhere near there yet.
For while Pogba’s talent has never been in doubt, not since well before he arrived United from Le Havre as a 16-year-old in 2009, his tale is one of hard work too. Hours spent in the gym and on the training ground, and the continuous improvement that those efforts have brought.
Speaking recently to Pogba’s old youth coach at United, Paul McGuinness, it’s clear that not everyone is so concerned about the player not yet being the finished article. “You can’t be that at 23,” McGuinness told Sky Sports. “So you’re paying for the potential.”
For McGuinness, that “potential is massive” for Pogba to become a “special player”. In fact, the excitement over Pogba’s possible arrival should partly be because he isn’t at the top of his game yet. Especially given that the Frenchman has a history of surpassing even high expectations.
Former United player Gary Neville is among many who have pointed out that Pogba wasn’t …
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