Paul Pogba has insisted that Manchester United still have a special place in his heart and that his decision to leave Old Trafford was motivated by Sir Alex Ferguson’s reluctance to give him an extended run in the side.
Pogba’s acrimonious exit from Old Trafford has been well documented as the Frenchman, frustrated by the lack of first team opportunities, decided to move to Juventus on a free transfer after United declined to meet his financial demands.
Despite being considered one of the hottest prospects in European football, Pogba was famously left on the bench by Ferguson against Blackburn on New Year’s Eve in 2011, as Fergie opted for a midfield combination of Rafael and Ji-Sung Park.
United ended up losing the game – which in hindsight would have terrible consequences in the title race – but Pogba said the game against Blackburn wasn’t the tipping point and that he decided to leave because he was too impatient.
“I’m impatient,” he said in an interview with FourFourTwo.
“It was the feeling that I had. The coach had faith in me, but didn’t put me on. He said that I was too young. He said: ‘Your time will come.’
“It didn’t come. But it doesn’t mean I will speak ill of Manchester United. I love the club.”
Meanwhile, Mino Raiola, Pogba’s agent, has claimed that the Frenchman could leave Serie A and return to the Premier League in 12 months, despite signing a new three-year deal with Juventus in October.
“We are happy with Juve, we have extended the contract, it’s all fine [but] whether this season or the next, when the right moment comes [to leave], we’ll take it,” Raiola told Mediaset, the same broadcaster which suggested that Real Madrid and United could table a huge £77m offer for the Frenchman.
Earlier this week, Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta told Sky Italia that “all the European clubs are watching him and have been in contact with us” but added: “We don’t have a need to sell him.”
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