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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Sarah Rendell

Ian Wright highlights Manchester United’s key mistake with Paul Pogba

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Ian Wright says Manchester United should allow Paul Pogba to play with freedom as he did at previous club Juventus.

United signed the French international in 2016 from the Italian side. In the Serie A Pogba played down the left and his form spoke for itself. But he was switched to a deeper midfield role at the Premier League side which has seen him struggle for form and game time.

This could result in the star leaving when his contract is up at the end of the season and Wright pointed out if United treated Pogba as Liverpool has Virgil van Dijk, the international would stay.

“You can look at Pogba’s signing,” Wright told Premier League productions. “You look at Pogba, he’s not a six, he’s not an eight and not a 10.

“He is a player we saw when he played for Juventus, on the left, with a very well-balanced midfield and played with freedom. Aaron Ramsey, the same kind of player. He plays with freedom. You need the right players.

“That is where people are buying the wrong type of player without fitting them in. This is where the Virgil van Dijk signing is absolutely perfect. That’s why they would have paid another £25m for him – you look at how Virgil was playing for Celtic, he is playing exactly the same now.

“This is why all of the top teams have missed out on a player that was showing, the fact that he was playing in a league that wasn’t as good as the Premier League, but Liverpool have benefited from it.”

Paris Saint-Germain are understood to be interested in Pogba and could sign him for free when the Frenchman’s contract expires in Manchester at the end of the season.

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