Sport

Are United over-hyping Paul Pogba or is he the real deal?

Paul Pogba is widely regarded as the best central midfielder on the planet but is he worth the £100 million that Manchester United are reportedly set to offer for the 23-year-old? Are United over-hyping Paul Pogba or is he the real deal?

Over the last few years, Pogba has matured from a top prospect into a genuine talent but some remain unconvinced. The Juventus midfielder struggled to inspire confidence for France at this summer’s European Championship and was even dropped for France’s second group stage clash with Albania.

However, United have staked a major interest in the Frenchman and Jose Mourinho is intent on making him their fourth signing of the summer. According to various reports, the 13-time Premier League champions are set to go head-to-head with Spanish giants Real Madrid in pursuit of Pogba.

On paper, the France international has an easy decision to make. Real recently won their 11^th European Cup whilst United finished fifth in the Premier League and won’t even feature in Europe’s elite club competition next season.

When you put it like that, Real is the more lucrative option – and given the choice, Pogba would probably choose Los Blancos in a heartbeat. Let’s face it, Madrid is a much more attractive city than Manchester. In addition, Pogba is still probably bitter (and rightfully so) after United let him walk away in 2012.

But that was Sir Alex Ferguson’s doing. The last straw in an unsavoury relationship was when the great Scot opted to start former United defender Rafael da Silva in central midfield ahead of Pogba.

Since Fergie left, both United and Pogba have moved on. But Mourinho could be the glue to bring these two monsters back together. Simply put, United are a MASSIVE club. The only other club that comes close to United? Real Madrid.

But United with Mourinho is something special – and this combination is the only thing that could lure Pogba back to Manchester. That, and the fact that his agent Mino Raiola also represents Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan – both players have already joined United this summer.

In terms of specific qualities, Pogba has it all. He can shoot, he can dribble, he can dispossess opponents, he can intercept – he can do anything and everything. But that doesn’t mean that he is perfect.

In fact, he’s far from it.

Pogba is still raw and while many are touting him to stand tall as the best midfielder in the world for the next 5-10 years, the France star cannot afford to get complacent or take his talent for granted. If he does, he could go from hero to zero quite quickly.

Rumours are suggesting that Pogba may even stay at Juventus although that is looking more and more unlikely. He isn’t worth £100 million by any stretch of the imagination but then again, who is? This is the world we live in, and it’s not going to get any better.

The new TV deal means that Premier League clubs will pay inflated prices and that is partly why United are attempting to price Real out of the market for Pogba. If United genuinely bid a nine-figure sum of money, Juventus would be foolish to turn them down.

Pogba is a supreme talent and his potential is scary. The sky truly is the limit for Paul Pogba; no matter where he ends up. If he wants to win trophies now, then the Santiago Bernabeu is the place for him. If he wants to be the centre of attention for a decade as United attempt to rebuild after a period of decline, then a move back to Manchester could be on the cards.

Whether he’s the Real deal or overhyped at Old Trafford, one thing is for sure: Pogba is an extraordinary prospect and he’s well worth the risk despite the extortionate price tag.