Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said that Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford are vital for Manchester United going forward.
Zinedine Zidane’s reappointment at Real Madrid has intensified speculation regarding a possible a move for Pogba, who originally preferred to join Madrid over United in 2016 before he was advised by his agent Mino Raiola to return to Manchester.
Raiola did so on the proviso Pogba would eventually move to Spain and the 26-year-old midfielder last week admitted at the France national team training camp it would be a ‘dream’ to play for his idol Zidane at the Bernabeu.
United are in talks with Marcus Rashford about a long-term contract as he approaches the final year of his existing deal, although they have the option of an additional year to tie him to the club until 2021.
Rashford won the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Europa League in the first 18 months of his career and Pogba collected two of those honours in his first season back, but last season was his first full campaign where he failed to claim a club winner’s medal.
World Cup winner Pogba was part of the Juventus side that won four successive Scudetti and two domestic doubles whereas United have not challenged for the Premier League since his £89million signing in 2016.
Amid the lure of Zidane’s Madrid, Solskjaer has reiterated Pogba and Rashford are ‘vital’ for United’s quest to end their championship drought.
When asked whether Pogba and Rashford could sample success with United, Solskjaer said: “I would believe so, that’s our aim as a club – to be achieving what we have done in the past and that is the expectations here.
“And of course we are hoping to build a team strong enough worthy of the history of the club.
“You have got loads of players who you can build a team around and those are the two that you asked me about. They are vital for our future.”
Pogba is contracted to United until 2021 but the club has the option of an additional year to keep him at Old Trafford until he is 29.
Madrid are expected to heavily invest in a squad that is 12 points adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona and was ejected from the Champions League by Ajax in a 4-1 home defeat earlier this month.
Real’s priority is believed to be attacking reinforcements and they are intent on signing at least one of Eden Hazard, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
Hazard is approaching the last year of his contract at Chelsea and the possible cost-efficient addition of him could still leave Real with funds for another marquee buy.