Anthony Martial And Paul Pogba Rumours Paint The Picture Of An Unhappy Camp At Manchester United

Anthony Martial And Paul Pogba Rumours Paint The Picture Of An Unhappy Camp At Manchester United
14:25, 24 Jul 2018

The new season hasn’t even started and Jose Mourinho is already in a sulk. According to the Manchester United manager, the situation is “very bad.” He is “worried” by what he has seen over pre-season, with so many key players still missing following the World Cup and the Old Trafford club stalling in its efforts to make new signings before the window closes early next month.

Even more worrying, though, is the sense of malaise that has set in at Manchester United this summer. This time last year, there was talk of a title challenge. Mourinho finally appeared to be assembling a team capable of topping the Premier League, of challenging for major honours. Now, that team is already crumbling.

This is illustrated by the recent rumours concerning the respective futures of Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba. Both players are reportedly keen to leave Manchester United this summer, with the former seeking to force his way out and the latter eager to return to former club Juventus, where he would have the chance to play with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Is this really the sign of a happy camp under Mourinho? These are two players who have been tipped for the top of the game, yet the Portuguese has failed to get the best from them over the past two years. There were rumblings earlier in the summer that Mourinho had given up on Pogba, that he would look to sell the midfielder, but after winning the World Cup with France, demonstrating his quality for all to see, it’s now more likely that Pogba has given up on Mourinho. 

“I don’t think it’s about us getting the best out of him, it’s about him giving the best he has to give,” Mourinho explained in an interview given this week, hitting back at those suggesting he has failed to harness Pogba’s quality. “The World Cup is the perfect habitat for a player like him to give the best. Why? Because it is closed for a month where he can only think about football.”

These weren’t the comments of a man with complete faith in his player. In fact, there was an air of resignation to Mourinho’s remarks, as if he believes Manchester United will never truly see the best of Pogba. Martial is another who has struggled to fulfil his potential under Mourinho, although there have been hints that Manchester United will step in should the Portuguese coach seek to sell the winger on the cheap. The club still sees the 22-year-old as an asset for the future.

Two years into his tenure, with a third season just weeks away, Mourinho should be on the brink of a career culmination. His appointment as Manchester United was meant to underline and reiterate his capacity as a top level coach. Instead, Mourinho’s team is unravelling. Martial and Pogba might not be the last to jump.

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