Since the Premier League restart Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reportedly noticed an appreciable change in Paul Pogba’s attitude and a resurgence in form. And the Manchester United manager is nursing hopes that the 27-year-old will choose to remain at Old Trafford and sign a new contract.
The France World Cup winner had been continually linked with reports, made even more choleric and provocative by his super agent Mino Raiola, to leave the club for Real Madrid or Juventus a year ago but could now be staying put at Old Trafford instead.
Pogba, incessantly hampered by injuries and unable to find his groove at the club, had made all of just eight appearances for United before the coronavirus crisis brought football to an unceremonious halt.
Refreshingly, the France international has been an inspiring regular since the restart of the English football campaign, featuring, not with unfavorable results, in the middle of the park as the Red Devils have successfully closed the gap on the Premier League top four.
Pogba also seems to have struck up a strong connection, building up a more than amicable rapport and understanding with Bruno Fernandes in the middle of the park and, just before Monday’s 2-2 draw against Southampton, found the net in a classy maneuver in a 3-0 thumping of Aston Villa.
The Sun say Solskjaer has been delighted with, and enthused by, the 27-year-old’s form and attitude, having noticed a discernible positive difference from before.
For a long period of time even before Solskjaer entered the folds of United, there have been doubts about where Pogba should be tactically deployed on the pitch, a dilemma brought about by his lack of consistency.
Jose Mourinho had tried him in every midfield position throughout his Old Trafford tenure in the hope it would spark the best from the France international, but finally threw in the towel, claiming in his own defense that the midfielder was unmanageable. But then, Mourinho being Mourinho with his penchant for pointing the finger at others, his assessment of Pogba may not have been fair to the player who, after all, is still sought after by many top flight clubs in Europe for his unquestionable football skills.
Looks like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – the Norwegian dubbed as the ‘Baby-faced Assassin’ in his early playing career in United – could have finally found a way to nail down the France international and keep him happily settled in next to his newfound playing buddy, Bruno Fernandes.
That would indeed be an immense relief to everyone at Old Trafford.