More secrets are coming out. Paul Pogba only signed for Manchester United from Juventus for commercial reasons, according to Jose Mourinho’s advisor.
The France international moved to Old Trafford from Turin for a fee of £89million back in 2016, but has struggled for form and has been repeatedly linked with an exit.
Now, Eladio Parames – who described himself as “the former spokesman for the best coach in the world but never his former friend” – has claimed United turned down the idea of signing a player like N’Golo Kante in favour of Pogba.
In his weekly column in Portuguese newspaper Record, Parames also revealed that United made their money back on Pogba in just six months.
“It’s no coincidence that both have already been severely criticised by several coaches,” he said.
“Of course some will ask whether the person who hired them did not know what their personalities were like.
“Yes is the answer, but sometimes there are reasons beyond sports that lead the clubs, and not always the coaches, to gamble on hiring them.
“Pogba, for example, is worth a lot in the advertising market, so much so that, in just six months, Manchester United had already recovered what they had invested in him.
“However, without ‘terriers’ like Matuidi and Kante at his side, he is worth virtually nothing on the field.
“Man United did not give Mourinho ‘terriers’ despite advice given to Woodward last summer.
“And as a result, we had to see Nemanja Matic and Josh McTominay acting as central defenders against Southampton.
“And Mourinho had to watch as Pogba became the player who most often lost the ball and was dispossessed, in a single game, in all Premier matches this season. A great record!”
“Pogba did not get onto the pitch in the recent 4-1 win against Fulham, but his manager is hopeful he can have an impact against Valencia saying he “is going to show everyone how good he is.”