Wayne Rooney has urged Paul Pogba to be honest with himself as his spell at Manchester United approaches its conclusion.
The Frenchman remains the Red Devils' record signing, but he has struggled to live up to his £89million price tag on a consistent basis. His time at Old Trafford is nearing the end, with his contract expiring in the summer and little expectation he will pen a new deal.
Pogba has frequently come in for criticism for his performances since his return to United in 2016. A succession of managers have taken aim at the midfielder, in particular Jose Mourinho, with his hunger for doing the defensive side of playing in midfield called into question.
Despite that, United were thought to have offered him a new contract towards the end of last year. Pogba failed to sign that offer of an extension, with his eye having already turned to getting a fresh start with a new club this summer.
PSG and Real Madrid are the teams who have been linked most with offering Pogba a new challenge, with a return to Juventus also a possibility. But before his inevitable departure happens, Rooney has called for the World Cup winner to reflect on how his time at United panned out.
The Red Devils' record scorer believes the time has come for Pogba to move on from Old Trafford. Rooney highlighted the fact that the midfielder looks far better when playing for France as a reason for him to look for a new challenge.
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"It's got a point now where it's probably better for him to move on. I think if Paul is honest with himself, he hasn't had the impact he would have liked since he returned to Manchester United. I watch him play for France and he's a completely different player," Rooney told Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.
"Ability, his vision, control of the game is there every game for France. It just hasn't quite worked for him at Manchester United. There's a few players they need to let go. There hasn't been a settled manager there since Sir Alex Ferguson. So whoever comes in they need to give them time. Time to build relationships with players."
Pogba has started all but one Premier League game since his return from a hamstring injury which kept him on the sidelines for a lengthy period. While he has netted one goal and notched two assists during that time, United have continued to put in mixed performances.
That has seen them slip behind Arsenal and Tottenham in the race to secure Champions League football next season. And with a new manager set to be appointed in the summer, Pogba's time at Old Trafford is likely over.
The midfielder may well take Rooney's advice ahead of his long-anticipated exit. But if he does so, it is unlikely that there will be many fond memories for the 28-year-old to reflect upon.
