Five reasons Utd needed Pogba

Paul Pogba has returned to Manchester United for a world record £89m – but do his stats reflect the price tag?

We’ve found five stat-backed reasons why new United boss Jose Mourinho was prepared to pay almost £90m in order to bring the 23-year-old Euro 2016 runner-up back to the club.

1. Star quality

Pogba left Old Trafford on a free transfer to Juventus in 2012, after making only seven first-team appearances as a substitute under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Since then, the versatile midfielder has won four successive Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia titles, two Supercoppa Italiana trophies, received Golden Boy and Bravo awards, and was selected in the FIFA FIFPro World XI and UEFA Team of the Year in 2015.

On the international stage, Pogba has established himself as a regular in the France team, receiving a runners-up medal at Euro 2016 after losing 1-0 to Portugal in extra-time on Sunday.

Pogba’s outrageous drag-backs, step-overs, back-heels, scoops and outside-of-the-boot strikes generate a fear in opponents only matched by the world’s best.

The Frenchman joins fellow superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who signed for United earlier this month, along with defender Eric Bailley and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

2. Domination with conviction

Last season, under departed United manager Louis van Gaal, United finished fifth in the Premier League but were below average across the pitch.

In fact, they only finished the season with marginally above-average stats for passes and tackles won, although they did boast a league-high average of 59.92 per cent possession.

Despite recording superior possession, United produced fewer goals, shots on target, assists, dribbles, won fewer aerial challenges …

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