The future of Paul Pogba at Manchester United will not be resolved this summer as his contract enters its final season without further clarity.
The Frenchman’s current deal at Old Trafford expires at the end of the campaign and there is the risk that he will leave the club as a free agent should no agreement be reached.
It would be an extraordinary chain of events for United to twice lose the same player as a free agent, after he left in 2012 to join Juventus when he was breaking into the first-team squad at the club.
United re-sign the star midfielder four years later in a club record £89million deal but his contract is up for renewal next summer and it remains unclear if he will pen a new deal or move on without a fee.
Without doubt, the power is now in the player’s hands - he has the upper hand in contract negotiations as United will be worried of the risk of him walking away from the club, so may be tempted to meet his wage demands.
This was a similar scenario that played out two years ago with David De Gea, who became United’s highest earners due to the club’s concerns he could leave as a free - Pogba may be deploying a similar tactic.
The player may have opportunities to join either Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid next summer - the two clubs that have most prominently been linked to the 28-year-old in recent years.
A report in ESPN has claimed that United are ‘calm’ over the situation and are not going to lose their cool in any negotiation process.
It is claimed that both the club and player are assessing themselves; both keenly aware of the potential of the other whilst also being wary that both have fallen short in the past.
Pogba has enjoyed majestical form in the opening weeks of the campaign - reaching an incredible five direct goal assists in his opening two Premier League games and thriving in an advanced midfield role alongside Bruno Fernandes.
After last weekend’s draw at Southampton, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said of Pogba: "He's been very good.
"Paul has come in, bright with his own personality, he's worked hard over the summer. He's lean and he's enjoying himself.
"We've seen that Paul wants to contribute. Of course you [reporters] don't see him in the dressing room or in training, but he's really determined and he shows his winning mentality and I'm very impressed with him."
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The United boss also directly addressed questions on the midfielder’s future: "That's gonna be the question every week now until he does [sign a new contract].
"As I've said all the time, Paul is a top player, the talks are between the club and his representatives, I'm not involved in that but he knows how much I care about him and that we want him to play well for us."
Speaking after the draw at St. Mary’s, Pogba told MUTV : “I think I’m good, I’m good. The team, we all good. Training well, we came back very focused as always and like I said I always give my best on the pitch and give my heart to help my team-mates.
“So we need to keep it up, we keep improving and I wanted to win today – that’s why I’m disappointed with the result.”
United not cashing-in on Pogba this summer means they are unlikely to bolster the right-back and holding midfield roles in which they are lacking depth and run the risk of their club record signing walking away from the club for a second time.
Pogba’s early form gives much promise that the Frenchman will play a prominent role at Old Trafford this season, yet it may well be his last.
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