Paul Pogba has been told he shouldn’t always have to carry Manchester United — because he’s no Roy Keane.
That’s the view of fellow Frenchman and former Old Trafford star Louis Saha who has sprung to Pogba’s defence after a season of criticism aimed at the 26-year-old.
Saha claims it’s unfair the way 2018 World Cup-winning midfielder Pogba is targeted when United don’t perform. And he believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs to put more leaders around the £89million star — then watch him weave his magic.
Pogba’s future is shrouded in uncertainty as we enter the summer transfer window – despite scoring 16 goals from midfield last season – with speculation still linking him with a £150m move to Real Madrid.
United’s powerbrokers insist they aren’t interested in selling the flashy star, who has been at the club nearly three years since moving from Juventus. But Saha believes Pogba is being wrongly judged by fans and critics, who reckon he should be a team leader like club icon Keane.
He said: “I am really a big fan of Paul. You target leadership for the best players in the team and Paul is definitely one of them, so the pressure is always on him. But it’s unfair on him to have this burden all of the time because the set-up of the team is not built with leaders around him – and perhaps that is not his best quality.
“Of course, he brings a special quality because he can do special things, but I don’t think leadership is his strength. So let’s find the right people to be around him because he can do magic. That’s what he has been bought by United to do – rather than as a Roy Keane-type or others that you can compare.
“When I see what is happening with Paul, I would say it is unfair to ask him to do something unnatural to him.”
Saha, a two-time Premier League champion and a member of United's 2008 European Cup winning squad before leaving for spells at Everton, Tottenham, Sunderland and Lazio, has a strong affinity for both Pogba and Anthony Martial.
And he believes both are suffering because United don’t have the strong leaders and role models in the dressing room they did during his four-year stay.
“Of course, they have great talent and I have to say I’m jealous. It is as simple as that. You look at those guys and they can do everything,” said Saha. “But the thing is it’s unfair to focus on one aspect of their game that is not one of their strong qualities.
“As for Anthony, he is the type of player, who, on his day, is unplayable, but, again, he needs a role model that will give him a target to go for and set a tone for working harder.
“In my view, it’s not fair to target those two French players. It is about the squad and the squad right now is not there. Every day in a group is about getting the best out of the personnel.
“For instance, a player like Gary Neville was essential for me as a striker. Every day he would be there on my back making sure I get it. I knew that every time I missed an opportunity or a dribble then he would be on my back.
“Those days have gone now and that is why I think Ole has some work to do. I think United have to find some new leaders.”
