Paul Pogba could leave Manchester United in January, according to former Reds midfielder Paul Ince.
The World Cup winner has endured a torrid relationship with manager Jose Mourinho, and was omitted from the starting lineup for the Premier League matches against Arsenal and Fulham.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Ince suggested that all signs pointed to the 25-year-old’s second spell at Old Trafford coming to an end in the very near future.
He said: “If Paul Pogba’s not playing for United then there’s only one option.
“You don’t spend that kind of money on a player and have him on the bench, unless you’re winning week-in, week-out, which you’re not.
“I think he’s brought it upon himself, Pogba. I think he’s a world class player when he wants to be.
“The relationship between Mourinho and Pogba doesn’t seem right. Some of the things Mourinho will say about him… if he’s not trying, deal with it.
“It doesn’t need to be aired in public, I’m not sure that works. It kind of looks to me that they’re both angling to get him out in January.
“He came on the other day and he didn’t get rapturous applause from the crowd, half were having him and half weren’t.
“So it looks like the fans are starting to turn against him, which is never nice, and it looks like he’s going to have to start winning the fans over again, which you can’t do sitting on the bench.
“So it all points to, come January, I think he’ll be gone.”
OPINION
At this stage, the relationship between Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho is so tumultuous that it’s difficult to see any way that it will be resolved while both are still at the club. Up until recently, you wouldn’t have bet against the Frenchman outlasting his manager, but as Ince says, in recent weeks things appear to have turned against the World Cup winner. He is a constant source of frustration. As proven in Russia over the summer, he has the potential to be one of, if not the, best midfielder in the world, and yet time and again he turns out turgid, lacklustre performances in a red shirt. Something’s go to give, and at this stage you could envisage Pogba leaving easily. That being said, January seems unlikely. Despite the ill-feeling surrounding Pogba, it would take a huge sum to prise him away from Manchester, and the likelihood of any of Europe’s elite foreign out that kind of money this winter seems slim. Never rule it out of course, as any Liverpool fan still mourning the loss of Phillipe Coutinho will tell you, but a summer departure would make a lot more sense.