As Manchester United gear up for their second Europa League final in the space of five years, it may feel like deja vu to a few players in the squad — most of all Paul Pogba.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side go into the final in Gdansk with the favourites’ tag hanging off them, but against the Europa League specialist Unai Emery, a three-time winner of the competition, his Villarreal side cannot be underestimated.
Having already secured their place in the Champions League next season, United can look forward to returning to the elite again. The only pressure that remains is ending Solskjaer’s wait for a trophy as manager, after the Norwegian failed to guide his side beyond three semi-finals last season.
Prior to the final, there is a familiar feeling that this could be Pogba’s moment to shine.
In 2017, he was 24 when United took on Ajax in Sweden and the demands were high from the club’s £89 million record signing. It should have been the moment where his career truly took off in England after capping a fine performance in the final with a goal.
There was nothing particularly special about Pogba’s strike, dragging a low shot from the edge of the penalty area before it took a wicked deflection off and looped over the helpless Andre Onana. But his overall influence was telling.
He was central to every move and his energy on the ball encouraged his team-mates to make runs off it, with one moment standing out.
The Frenchman strode forward from midfield and exchanged a neat one-two with Marcus Rashford before a last-ditch challenge from Davinson Sanchez, now at Tottenham, denied him a chance at goal.
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It was emblematic of how their £89m record signing could take the game by the scruff of the neck and change its outcome, a glimpse of what they could expect in the future.
Certainly, in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing that killed 23 people, these were dark times. Great players are often defined by their ability to show their mettle in times of adversity. In Stockholm, Pogba led by example and showed he could go on to make himself an Old Trafford legend.
Four years later, he and United have come full circle in reaching the Europa League final again, only that sense of greatness continues to elude him.
Whether it was his frosty relationship with Jose Mourinho or his continuous flirting with clubs such as Juventus and Real Madrid, there have always been distractions and reasons for why he hasn’t kicked on.
It is a strange case because in 2018/19, it certainly felt like Pogba had finally found his calling. He was flying high off the back of winning the 2018 World Cup with France, scoring in the final against Croatia.
He was even made captain by Jose Mourinho before a series of poor performances led to a training ground argument between the pair, which was captured by TV cameras. He continued to play, but their soured relationship took a toll on his morale and soon found himself frozen out.
Mourinho’s sacking in November came as a blessing as Pogba found form again under Solskjaer, scoring 16 goals and creating 11 assists in all competitions — his best return in his career so far.
But was it was merely an anomaly, or a sign that he was on the verge of becoming one of the best footballers around?
What followed suggested it was more the former. Perhaps influenced by his notoriously outspoken agent Mino Raiola, Pogba plunged his future into doubt by pondering whether he should pursue "a new challenge somewhere else".
His absence from the pitch due to an ankle problem didn’t help, but United found a way to cope without their playmaker. Having gone from untouchable to forgotten man, perhaps Pogba leaving would be the best solution after all.
Following the restart of the 2019/20 season, which had been disrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic, Solskjaer retained his faith in Pogba. The Norwegian seemed determined not to let United’s record purchase fail on his watch.
The first step to redemption came when he linked up with Bruno Fernandes and won a penalty against Tottenham. There was genuine excitement among Red Devils fans about the potential of their partnership in midfield, even if there was still uncertainty over the 28-year-old’s future.
Solskjaer was left in the dark about Pogba’s future and tensions threatened to boil over following a scathing attack on from his agent Raiola.
“You’ve got to ask Paul if he’s happy or unhappy, I’m not going to speak for him,” he told BT Sport after their Champions League exit in December 2020.
“As soon as Paul’s agent realises it is a team sport the better. I don’t want to spend energy on that. I am not going to talk about Paul’s agent anymore.”
The club triggered an option to extend Pogba’s contract by a further year last summer and since then, it’s been back to business.
Six goals and a half dozen assists in 41 appearances pales in comparison to Fernandes’ numbers, but his overall performances have been steady.
He has played his part in their journey to Poland too, scoring in the quarter-final victory over AC Milan. The signs suggest there is still more quality to be squeezed from his talented feet.
Even if doubts continue to circle over his future at the club with only a year remaining on his contract, there is a feeling he is settled at the club, with the weekly pressure on his performances relenting.
Now, in Gdansk, it's a chance for the 28-year-old to hit the reset button and show that 2017 was nothing but a false start.
