Ole Gunnar Solskjær has denied Paul Pogba will be sold in January, though Manchester United’s manager refused to give details of the ankle injury that has ruled out the midfielder since late September.
Pogba’s recovery has been hampered by recent illness and the future of a player who stated in the summer he wanted “a fresh challenge” has again been the cause of speculation.
“He’s not getting sold in January,” Solskjær said. Pressed that the player’s injury has caused a particularly long absence, Solskjær concurred but declined to shed fresh light on it.
“It was something that really needed sorting but I don’t think I should give you all the medical information,” Solskjær said. “But he’s now feeling good and getting better. It’s worked [his rehabilitation].”
Solskjær acknowledged the view that Pogba could leave will be deflected only once the player is fit again. “When he comes back and plays well, with a smile on his face, and does what he did a year ago when I came here [it will end],” he said. “Paul has been fantastic and we’ve got one of the best players in the world. Let’s see how he feels, I’m not going to push him.”
Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, has said his client is happy to stay. “Paul wants to be successful and happy and wants to win prizes and he would love to do that with Manchester United,” Raiola told the Telegraph. “OK there was big interest from Real Madrid and Manchester didn’t let him go. We didn’t make a fuss about it and he didn’t make a fuss about it because I work in accordance with the player.”
Solskjær also denied reports Erling Braut Haaland was on a flight from his native Norway to Manchester on Friday morning. The manager is interested in the 19-year-old striker, who has scored 28 goals in 22 games for Red Bull Salzburg this season.
“I don’t think he’s en route here, to be fair – not through me anyway,” Solskjær said. “You know I can’t comment on other teams’ players. I’ve said that many times and it’s one of those things in this job – you get speculation a lot of the time.
“He’s not coming to Manchester. I know the boy and his friends and he’s on a Christmas holiday.”
