Manchester United board at loggerheads with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over Paul Pogba

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Manchester United’s hierarchy are at loggerheads regarding Paul Pogba, according to reports. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is desperate for the France international to stay, despite transfer interest from Juventus. But the Red Devils are unwilling to break the bank when it comes to keeping the 28-year-old.

Manchester United have seen Pogba sparkle this season.

He endured a difficult start to the campaign after suffering from coronavirus, toiling in defeats to Crystal Palace and Tottenham.

But, ever since clear the air talks with Solskjaer back in December, the 28-year-old has been a player transformed.

Pogba has flourished on the left wing of United’s attack, despite being a central midfielder by trade.

And with his contract at Old Trafford due to expire next year, attentions are starting to turn towards a possible new contract.

The Mirror claim Solskjaer wants the midfielder to stay at the club, having worked so hard to get him back to his blistering best.

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But it’s said that, behind the scenes, there’s a split in opinion.

Some United board members are wary of meeting Pogba’s salary demands with the player’s agent, Mino Raiola, wanting his client to pocket £400,000-a-week.

That’s just too steep at the current moment in time, particularly with the coronavirus crisis raging on and Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane being amongst their current targets.

United are said to value their midfielder at £55million.

But selling him for that amount would be a £34m loss on what they paid for the World Cup winner upon bringing him back from Juventus nearly five years ago.

What’s more, is the player himself may find himself but with no choice but to stay put.

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Real Madrid and Barcelona have both been hit hard by the pandemic and, in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, have other targets in mind.

And Juventus may not even be in the Champions League next term, with the Old Lady facing a huge fight to qualify for Europe’s top club competition.

United’s top brass fear Raiola has the upper hand in negotiations for Pogba at the current moment in time.

And what ultimately happens is something only time will tell.

Speaking recently, former United assistant Rene Meulensteen expressed a belief Pogba should be sold at the end of the season.

And he also claimed that Jack Grealish would be a suitable replacement, with the England international sparkling for Aston Villa this term.

“He likes to play with two pivots in Fred and McTominay,” he said.

“The reason for that is to protect the back four but I think you need another midfield player in there that is more creative that can do a bit of both like Fernandinho at Manchester City, or Fabinho with Liverpool.

“Pogba creates an imbalance in the team because he has to play, he can’t play as one of the two pivots. Defensively people run off him so he doesn’t do his defensive job.

“You play him from the left OK you try to manufacture something there. I’m not sure. Maybe the best way is to say can we get some money from him and look at what we need.”

He then added: “I think with the stature of Pogba comes expectations. I don’t think overall he’s lived up to those for whatever reasons. So, if I could I would cash-in on him and reshape the team.

“The other problem is Pogba has never openly to the fans committed himself to Manchester United, how much he wants to play for this club. These are big issues for me.

“Declan Rice for me is a very young promising player, but playing for Man Utd is different playing week in week out. You need to be really coming up with the goods.

“I’m not too sure if he would be my pick there are other names touted around.

“A player like Grealish, he would have the DNA to play for Man Utd and the stature for it and he would have the ambition but it would change the outlook of the team. He is a ball hogger, he likes to dribble and create things for himself.”

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