A Juventus legend has claimed he would welcome back Paul Pogba but has sent a warning to his former club.
The Manchester United midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and speculation has been rife regarding where he will end up. Manchester Evening News understands that United are planning for life without the World Cup winner.
When asked about bringing Pogba back to Italy, Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri remained coy about the possibility. Former midfielder Massimo Mauro said that he would welcome the 28-year-old back to Turin.
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He told La Gazzetta dello Sport via Football Italia : "Pogba consecrated himself in the World Cup he won with France, in that tournament he really brought [Didier] Deschamps’ entire midfield with him. Not as a regista, but as a midfielder he is certainly still a young player who can make the difference.
"In Italy he was also physically overpowering when he played steadily with Conte. Antonio made it clear to him that he’d be benched if he didn’t quicken and remove frills from his game, and he did.
"He was dominant in the opponent’s penalty area, nobody could hold him in those years. So much so that Juve sold him for €110m."
Mauro added: "From the things you hear he didn’t make United fans and coaches fall in love with him. If you don’t know him well when you see him, sometimes he seems a bit arrogant, with that body language that’s a bit like he’s doing you a favour by playing.
"That’s the main reason Ferguson, who usually ‘saw’ talent, let him leave for free the first time he came to Juve."
When asked if he would like to see Pogba return, Mauro said: "The Pogba seen in Turin would certainly be an important player, provided Juve find a high-level regista.
"Even with him there would always be a lack of a playmaker, someone who holds the ball, who takes responsibility for getting the team moving, especially if you play with a 4-3-3. Then it’s clear that you can adapt, with Pogba and Locatelli, with a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2."
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