Paul Pogba will reportedly leave Manchester United when his contract expires at the end of the season, but he is prepared to wait a while before deciding his next destination.
The Frenchman, 29, who rejoined the Red Devils from Juventus for £89.3m in 2016, has failed to agree on an extension on his current deal and will depart the club on a free transfer for the second time. He has played over 200 games for the Mancunian giants during his second stint with the club, winning the Europa League and the League Cup in 2017.
According to The Telegraph, Paul Pogba will let his contract run down at Old Trafford before deciding his next move, rather than signing a pre-contract agreement with one of his potential suitors. He is set to be one of the most sought-after free agents in world football in June and will likely have his pick when clubs start circling.
That being said, here are three players Manchester United should target to replace the French midfielder with.
Aurelien Tchouameni (AS Monaco)
One of Europe’s highly-rated young midfielders, Aurelien Tchouameni has caught the attention of several clubs with his consistent performances for AS Monaco.
The 22-year-old enjoyed a smashing 2020/21 Ligue 1 campaign and forced his way into the French national team, with whom he lifted the UEFA Nations League trophy last year. Blessed with a mixture of great technical skills and physical attributes, Tchouameni doesn’t have a fixed position in midfield, and such flexibility adds more value to his name.
The Frenchman is developing at a rapid rate and has a long way to go in his career. If the Red Devils are looking to replace Paul Pogba, then they should look no further than his fellow compatriot.
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)
Jude Bellingham is regarded as one of the best talents in Europe and there is no doubting that he is going right at the top of the footballing pyramid.
At 18 years old, he is already an established England international and is a crucial member of the Borussia Dortmund set up under Marco Rose. The Englishman is a pure box-to-box midfielder, capable of dominating the opposition’s midfield, creating chances and scoring goals in equal measure.
A technically gifted and tactically sound player like Bellingham would be the ideal replacement for Pogba at Man United and could go on to become a crucial cog in the side for years to come.
Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Ruben Neves has slowly but steadily established himself as a household name in English football ever since joining Wolverhampton Wanderers. In the last couple of years, he has become a much sought-after player in the transfer market, with many top clubs across the continent being linked with his services.
The Portuguese international is basically a box-to-box midfielder but has largely operated in a deep-lying playmaker’s role at Wolves. Aside from his distribution skills, he brings aggression, energy and work ethic to the table.
Such qualities along with his solid Premier League experience might make Neves an asset for Man United. At 25, he is heading towards the prime stages of his career and would fit right into the midfield replacing Paul Pogba.
