Soccer

Rangnick will not try to persuade Pogba to stay if the midfielder wants to leave United

Martial’s agent says the player wants to depart in January in pursuit of more game time

United midfielder Paul Pogba: ‘He can be an important player but this is true for all the other players we have.’ Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images

Jamie Jackson
Fri Dec 10 2021 - 23:00

Ralf Rangnick will not try to persuade Paul Pogba to stay at Manchester United if the midfielder wants to leave the club. The Frenchman is in the final year of his deal and can sign a pre-contract agreement with another team from January. Rangnick was asked what he could do to influence Pogba to agree fresh terms and whether it was worth keeping a player who did not wish to remain at the club.

“I wouldn’t say he’s not worth keeping,” the interim manager said. “But players have to want to play for a big club like United. If a player does not want to play for United in the medium or long term I don’t think it makes sense to convince him to change his mind.

“But let’s wait and see. I have spoken with him [Pogba] for 15 minutes over the phone a few days ago. Let’s have him come back, get fit, train with the team and see where we stand, how the team has developed by then.

“He can be an important player but this is true for all the other players we have. I’m not just the coach of Paul Pogba, I’m also the coach of all the other players and my ambition is to make them better, improve each individual player, and this is only possible by improving the performance of the whole team.”

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Mino Raiola, Pogba’s agent, indicated the player was open to a move, but only to clubs offering comparable wages. “We have many offers for him, including a contract extension,” he told the German TV channel Sport1. “We’ll see what’s best for him.”

Pogba was due to return on Friday from a rehab programme in Dubai for his calf injury, with Rangnick then to speak face-to-face. Rangnick said that in future he wants all recuperation to occur at United.

“As far as I can tell the medical department is really very good, with many different approaches towards rehab,” he said. “I would not want players to do their rehab abroad or anywhere else. The decision on Paul was taken before I came. I have already spoken to the medical department – to Steve [McNally] our doctor, to Robin Sadler [head of rehab] – that in the future I want players to stay here.”

Rangnick said he viewed Pogba’s best position being at the base of midfield in his preferred 4-2-2-2.

Needs to play

Anthony Martial, meanwhile, is intent on departing in January in pursuit of more game time, his agent has said. The forward, signed in 2015 for £36 million rising to a possible £55 million, has started only three Premier League or Champions League matches this season.

“Anthony wishes to leave in January,” Philippe Lamboley told Sky Sports News. “He just needs to play. He doesn’t want to stay and I will speak to the club soon.”

Martial’s contract runs to June 2024 and has an option for a further year. He has not made an appearance under Rangnick.

The manager, while not discussing Martial specifically, said he would speak to unsettled players with regard to potential loans. Whether Martial would accept a temporary move is unclear.

“I got to know them better this week,” said Rangnick. “But it’s still too early to talk about what might happen in the winter transfer window. It’s still a big squad, so we need to make sure that players want to stay here. If they are still not getting enough game time we will see if a loan might make sense.”

Rangnick has injury doubts regarding Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Nemanja Matic for Saturday’s trip to Norwich.

– Guardian

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