Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has revealed his delight to be back playing football again after spending most of the 2019/20 sidelined with foot and ankle injuries.
The Frenchman’s comments, which included praise of recent performances – particularly of teammates Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood - also serve to underline the increasing expectation that he is happy to stay at Old Trafford.
Pogba had been linked with a transfer away from United last summer and through the winter, with Real Madrid especially rumoured to be interested. However, there have been murmurings more recently about a change in circumstances.
As soon as training resumed at the start of June, Pogba was reported to be gelling with Fernandes, potentially even paving the way for discussions over a new contract.
It was later reported in his native France that Pogba is happy once more at United, while manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed just this week that the club is keen for him to stay. It has also been reported that Pogba is ‘open’ to signing fresh terms and that early contract talks have begun.
Speaking to ManUtd.com, the player, who endured nine agonisingly long months between starts against Arsenal in September and Sheffield United in June, has described the feeling of being able to train and just touch the ball again as ‘amazing’.
“Obviously I’m really, really happy and so blessed to be back and be fully fit now, and I’m enjoying being back with the team,” he explained.
Adding that he is feeling ‘great’, Pogba said, “I’ve been training well and they [the club] have been looking after me very well. I’ve been doing some extra work and treatment on my ankle and the rest of my body. And my team-mates have helped me come back and feel confident.”
Towards the end of last season and at the start of this one, Pogba might have been forgiven for growing frustrated at United as the team was underperforming and the club appeared incapable of matching the ambitions he had when he returned to Manchester from Italy in 2016.
Now, however, United appear to have finally turned a permanent corner in their efforts to restore the glory days of the 1990s and 2000s. The team is currently on a 16-game unbeaten streak and have won their last three Premier League games by three goals each.
“I’m enjoying just watching Bruno, Rashford, Martial and Mason, who all played the last game, and seeing them score goals. You just keep applauding, it’s beautiful…they make me enjoy football every time!” the World Cup winner said.
“We’re never satisfied with one trophy or one game we win or two games or 10 games, you want more, you always want more. That’s what makes Manchester United the biggest club, for me, in England.”
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Source : 90min