Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says it was 'pure chance' he bumped into Paul Pogba in Dubai during the international break.
A number of British newspapers with a picture of Pogba in Manchester United training gear speaking with Zidane in the Middle East, where he has been recovering from a foot injury.
The France World Cup winners have publicly declared a desire to work with each other at club level and Zidane lobbied Real president Florentino Perez to sign Pogba in 2016 and in the summer following his return to the Bernabeu.
Ahead of Madrid's La Liga clash away at Real Mallorca, Zidane was asked about his meeting with Pogba.
"My encounter with Pogba was pure chance," Zidane said at the pre-match press conference. "As we know each other, we talk. And what we're talking about is personal.
"It's a conversation between me and him. We've known each other a long time."
Pogba, 26, expressed his desire for a 'new challenge' in the summer and his agent Mino Raiola said he was 'in the process' of engineering a transfer.
United never received a serious offer for the £180million-valued Pogba, who has only played two of the last seven games due to an ankle injury, and the Frenchman is contracted to the club until 2021. United also have the option of an additional year.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said recently 'what is the point in having players that don’t want to be here?' in reference to Romelu Lukaku, but said he had 'no problem' with Pogba's picture.
"Paul is part of our plan going forward," Solskjaer stressed. "And I've spoken to Paul so many times. He's been playing through the pain barrier. He's been criticised left, right and centre, but when he came back, Rochdale, Arsenal he could have easily opted not played in them.
"He wanted to play, to try to get back, it was too painful. He had that scan, he's on the way back, he's mending, he's recovering, he's been on a few days off - working - but he's away from here.
"And it's a picture. When you're at Man United you do get pictures, speculation. I don't have any problem with that at all."
