French midfielder Paul Pogba has provided an insight into his decision to leave Manchester United last year in a frank interview. It has been one year since his abrupt departure from Old Trafford.
At the age of 30, Pogba made the choice to reunite with Juventus, joining the club on a free transfer after turning down a new contract offer from United worth £300,000 per week.
However, the midfielder’s return to Serie A has been plagued by a challenging first season, as he has faced numerous injury setbacks that have severely limited his playing time.
Having made only 10 appearances for Juventus, Pogba’s campaign was marred by ongoing injury issues. He underwent meniscus surgery in September, causing him to miss a significant portion of the season, including the World Cup in Qatar.
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Although he made a comeback in March, the French star suffered another muscle injury during free-kick practice in training, leading to another period on the sidelines.
Despite returning to action in May, Pogba’s second start for Juventus was cut short as he sustained a thigh injury just 25 minutes into the game. These injuries have significantly hampered his contribution to the team.
In addition to his on-field struggles, the player faced personal challenges off the pitch, including being involved in an alleged blackmail plot targeting his brother.
Despite the difficulties, Pogba maintains that he has no regrets about his decision to return to Juventus from Man United. He expressed feeling a lack of support and affection at the English club following his £89 million transfer from Juventus in 2016.
While talking to French outlet Views, the former United midfielder said:
“When I left Manchester, I was young. And when you’re young, you want to prove something. When I left Manchester, I was young. And when you’re young, you want to prove something.”
“I came to Juve, to a fairly young Italian club, it was a big test for me. But I immediately saw the love of the supporters, I saw the love of the club. I really liked how they worked and learned a lot.”
“I went back to Manchester because I hadn’t finished my work there. I said to myself ‘I really want to play with the A’s [the first team]’. I did it and it was a goal achieved for me. We have already won, not the Premier League, but titles that Manchester have not won for a long time.”
“And I came back to Juve, why? Because it’s really the club that helped me push myself. And really the love from the fans, the love from the club that I get, I didn’t get that in Manchester. I was quite surprised when I came back to England, already with the transfer I was given a label. It was quite sad.”
Pogba has had severely limited playing time during his second stint at Juventus, primarily due to persistent injuries. Despite returning to the club in the summer, he did not make his first appearance under coach Max Allegri until February.
The French midfielder’s lack of game time was largely a result of a knee injury he sustained during pre-season, leading to a torn meniscus and subsequent surgery.
Pogba’s struggles with fitness have prevented him from making a significant impact on the pitch for Juventus. However, Man United have moved on well from the time the French midfielder left the club.
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Erik ten Hag has helped the team finish third in the Premier League this season and the players have also ended the club’s six-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup.
The Red Devils are moving through a positive trajectory and seem destined to add more quality players to their squad. They could potentially challenge for more titles next season if the Qataris are able to buy the club before the new season starts.
