During what has been a very difficult season for Manchester United with plenty of upheaval and controversy, rumours continue to circulate that midfielder Paul Pogba will leave the club in the summer.
This latest version of a story is a piece on a Spanish football site claiming that Pogba’s new destination this summer after leaving Manchester United is going to be Real Madrid.
Such a move would unite Pogba with French football legend Zinedine Zidane back in the Spanish capital for a second spell as manager.
However apparently Pogba’s previous club Juventus are also interested in going back in for him, further complicating any possible move to Spain.
The website is claiming Pogba feels he has done what he can at Manchester United, has turned down a contract extension and believes it’s time for another change. This seems a strange idea as it seems to me that Pogba still has a lot to prove at Old Trafford.
As everyone knew the French international’s relationship with previous United boss Jose Mourinho had broken down long before the outspoken Portuguese manager left the club in December.
There were almost weekly stories of conflict between the two men as Manchester United’s season threatened to spiral out of control.
But since Mourinho’s departure and the arrival of temporary manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, United and Pogba have been spectacularly revived.
Under the Norwegian and former United striker, the team have gone on a brilliant run, which culminated recently in a spectacular Champions League win in Paris over PSG.
So a season that looked dead and over before Christmas now includes the real possibility of a top-four Premier League finish and maybe even a Champions League final appearance that seemed very unlikely just weeks ago.
But despite this and his own hugely improved form, there is still surely plenty more for Pogba to prove next season.
For a start the Frenchman still hasn’t yet produced a dominant season-long spell that might propel Manchester United to a major trophy. For a player who cost a then world record fee when he re-joined United in 2016, this is a missing piece in the player’s CV.
And if Solksjaer does get the manager’s job full-time in the summer he will almost certainly get a considerable war chest to spend on strengthening his squad to make them competitive next season.
Before agitating for a move to another of Europe’s elite club’s, Pogba should give Manchester United at least one more campaign. Then we could see if he can help the club get closer to their cross-town rivals City who are setting a new standard in the Premier League.