Paul Scholes proven wrong by Paul Pogba as new 'Man Utd offer' emerges
Paul Pogba's stuttering career has nosedived of late, despite Manchester United icon Paul Scholes having previously predicted a bright future for the Frenchman after his second spell at Old Trafford
by Ben Crawford · The MirrorPaul Scholes' prediction that Paul Pogba would flourish away from Old Trafford after his second spell with Manchester United has fallen flat, despite ongoing whispers of a return to the club.
The French dynamo first landed in Manchester at 16 and, following his release and meteoric rise at Juventus, made an eye-watering £89.3million return in 2016. However, Pogba found it tough to live up to the hefty fee. Eventually, after a topsy-turvy stint, he was once again offloaded to Juventus on a free transfer six years later.
In February, shockwaves reverberated around the football community as the World Cup winner tested positive in a doping test – though his initial four-year ban was eventually cut to 18 months. Following last month's mutual contract termination at Juventus, Pogba is now seeking a new club this January when he can begin training again, with the aim of returning to football action on the pitch from March.
Before his suspension, Pogba hadn't exactly set the world alight during his second run with the Old Lady – only managing 12 matches and 213 minutes of play since rejoining in July 2022. This reality was quite the opposite of what Scholes had envisioned when Pogba left United, believing greener pastures awaited him a little over two years ago.
"I was there when he was a kid, and this lad has got absolutely everything you would want in a footballer and a midfield player," Scholes proclaimed on talkSPORT in 2022, full of hope for the then departing Pogba's future.
"His physique, he can run. I just don't think he's ever learned as a footballer; he constantly seems to make the same mistakes over and over again. It's disappointing; it looks like he's going to leave. He'll go somewhere, a manager will get a grip of him, and I think he'll do really well, as he did at Juventus.
"For some reason, at United, it hasn't worked out. It's a big disappointment. You see what he does with France. People view him the wrong way. He's a nice lad. He wants to work and learn. I hope he goes on and does really well. We all know he's got the ability and talent to be world-class."
Another former United star, Louis Saha, now believes that Pogba may once again return home and could train with his old team in 2025. At 31, the ex-striker feels Pogba's skill and talent needs to be harnessed again as he anticipates his comeback to football, reports the Express.
"I've heard some rumours that Paul Pogba will be offered the opportunity to come back and train with Man Utd in the New Year," former Red Devil Saha told Casino Utan Spelpaus. "I think that would be a great opportunity for Paul.
"He needs to get back to his best level as quickly as possible, and training with top players will help him to do that. I think he would be thrilled to have the opportunity to go back to the club. I also believe that Paul Pogba is still a very special player. When you think about midfielders, Pogba has unique qualities.
"I think the United squad lacks power in the midfield, and we're missing a skilful player that can play box-to-box, so he would be a good addition (to the United squad) because he's a different profile of player to what United have. When I look at Pogba, I think that many teams in the Premier League would find signing him as a free agent an attractive proposition.
"Forget about the salary. I'm sure Paul is ready to find a compromise on that, as he wants to play football again after such a long time on the sidelines. When I think about Pogba, there are more positives to signing him than negatives, and I think he's a player that should interest Manchester United in January."
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