Pogba wants to stay at Manchester United and win trophies, says agent Raiola

Paul Pogba intends to remain at Manchester United and win trophies but the club must form a clear identity, according to the midfielder’s agent Mino Raiola.

France international Pogba is into the final 18 months of his contract and has been strongly linked with a move away from Old Trafford ahead of the January transfer window.

The 26-year-old attracted interest from Real Madrid earlier this year, but Raiola insists his client – who returned to United from Juventus in 2016 – will not force through an exit.

“I think that Paul really went home,” Raiola told The Telegraph. “Paul could have gone elsewhere [in 2016], but he really chose with his heart, to go home.

“Paul wants to be successful and happy and wants to win prizes and he would love to do that with Manchester United. Okay, there was big interest from Real Madrid and Manchester didn’t let him go.

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— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) November 30, 2019

“We didn’t make a fuss about it and he didn’t make a fuss about it because I work in accordance with the player. You know other players can bring things to extreme but Paul doesn’t like that. So you work differently.”

Pogba, who has not featured since September due to a foot injury, has been heavily criticised by a number of United legends for some indifferent displays.

However, Raiola hit out at the likes of Gary Neville for singling out the World Cup-winning midfielder, who has won the EFL Cup and Europa League since returning to Old Trafford.

“There was an interest from Real Madrid but [United] didn’t let him go and I’m sorry because I think that Paul being French, [Zinedine] Zidane is an important factor in French football history. 

“But Paul is not the guy I hear about from Neville and all the frustrated ex-players who say, ‘he should be ashamed of this, ashamed of that’. Ashamed of what? He is working every day and doing his best. 

“He’s not complaining there is no Champions League. Is he perfect? Nobody is. Is he also responsible for failure? He feels so. If you are in a team you are responsible for failure.”

The boss also spoke about the importance of staying grounded:

“You don’t fly off in the sky when you’re doing well and you don’t dig yourself a big hole when you’re not doing well.”#MUFC pic.twitter.com/wmhjlnR4zB

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 20, 2019

While being content at Old Trafford, Raiola feels United can do more to support Pogba by appointing a sporting director to oversee transfer matters.

“The club needs a specialist, a sports director, someone between the team, the coach and the owners, someone who can bridge the sides,” he said.

“Today you need that specialist because the coach has no time to manage scouts and other tasks and I feel that is lacking at Manchester United.

“In truth I look at Manchester United and think that they have more an American mentality than a European one.

“By that I mean that sometimes it seems the club is more concerned about the economic part than the sports part and that is a very American way of thinking. They need someone to connect the economic side and the sports side.

“Players that make a team, that fit it, that fit a philosophy, and Manchester United in this way is looking for a philosophy.”