Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes.
Two-time UEFA Champions League winner and Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has criticized Paul Pogba for not learning from his mistakes.
In conversation with talkSPORT, Scholes recounted his views on Pogba when the Frenchman was coming through the Red Devils’ academy. He said (as quoted by Manchester Evening News):
“I was there when he was a kid, and this lad has got absolutely everything you’d want in a midfield player. His physique, he can run, I just don’t think he’s ever learned as a footballer.”
The 11-time Premier League winner added that Pogba hasn’t learned from his errors over the course of his career:
“He constantly seems to make the same mistakes over and over again. It’s disappointing, it looks like he’s going to leave, but I think he will go somewhere, a manager will get a grip of him and I think he’ll do really well as he did at Juventus.”
Scholes further went on to say:
“I just think for some reason, at Manchester United, it hasn’t worked out, and it’s been a big disappointment because we see what he does with France, we saw what he did with Juventus, it’s been a big disappointment, of course it has.”
At the same time, the Red Devils legend went on to praise Pogba as well, stating:
“People probably see him the wrong way, he’s a nice lad. He’s a lad I always found that wanted to work, wanted to learn, and for some reason it just hasn’t worked out.”
Scholes then concluded:
“I hope he goes on and does really well, but for the lad himself I think it’s probably time to move on and find a manager that he really believes in more than anything, a manager that believes in him, and we all know he’s got the talent and ability to be a world class footballer.”
Paul Pogba’s 2nd Manchester United stint has been plagued by injuries and inconsistency
Pogba was touted to be the player to take Manchester United back to their best when they re-signed him for a then-world record fee of £89.3 million in 2016.
However, the 29-year-old’s time at Old Trafford over the last six years has been massively affected by injuries and inconsistency. Pogba has shown flashes of brilliance but has simply not lived up to his price tag since joining from Juventus.
He has made 233 appearances across all competitions for United, scoring 39 goals and laying out 51 assists. While he hasn’t been helped by the club’s muddled transfer policy, he has not done justice to his reputation or capabilities either.
The Frenchman now looks set to depart the club this summer on a free transfer.
Nevertheless, Pogba was integral to whatever little success Manchester United have enjoyed in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. He helped them win the Carabao Cup and UEFA Europa League back in 2017.
