‘It’s OVER for him at Manchester United’: Paul Pogba agent signals French World Cup winner is FINISHED with Old Trafford giants

Paul Pogba’s time at Manchester United is “over”, according to the Frenchman’s agent Mino Raiola, who has stoked speculation that the World Cup winner has no future at Old Trafford beyond this season.

Pogba, 27, struck a superb goal in his team’s 3-1 win at West Ham on Saturday but has consistently failed to hit the heights expected of him since he rejoined United from Juventus as the club’s record signing for just shy of £90 million ($120 million) back in 2016.

The English giants triggered the extension clause in Pogba’s contract in October, tying him to the club until the summer of 2022, but the signs are that the Frenchman will agitate for an early exit based on comments by Raiola to the Italian press.

In a snippet from an interview to be published in full in Tuttosport later this week, Raiola is quoted as saying that “it’s over for Paul Pogba at Manchester United.”

“The Manchester United board know the risk losing Pogba for free given the player has no intention of extending. If somebody does not understand that, then they do not understand football. In any case, let them blame me if Paul leaves," the agent added, according to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano. 

“However, I think that the best solution for both Pogba and Man Utd is that he goes in the next transfer window. If not, the Old Trafford club know that they risk losing him on a free transfer as it is not Paul's intention to extend his contract.

“Paul is unhappy with Man United as he is no longer able to express himself in the way that he would like and as he is expected to. Paul needs a new team, a change of air. He is under contract for the next 18 months and it will expire in the summer of 2022.”

If Pogba does push for an Old Trafford exit next summer or even when the transfer window opens again in January, significant sections of the United fanbase will not mourn his departure.

The French midfielder has scored 34 times and provided 35 assists for the Reds in 177 appearances – not bad returns on paper, but which in reality flatter Pogba’s influence on the pitch, especially given his supposed standing as one of the world’s finest in his position.

There have been mitigating circumstances such as injury absences, particularly for large chunks of last season, but Pogba has consistently been accused of failing to produce when it matters most.

The arrival of midfield ace Bruno Fernandes in January also exposed the Frenchman’s failings, as the Portuguese has become the fulcrum of the United team in ways many expected Pogba to be when he returned.

Pogba has also left United fans less than enamored with some of his statements regarding his future at the club, publicly flirting with a move to Real Madrid.

The latest comments from Raiola are unsurprising, given he has previously claimed that the current Manchester United set-up "would even ruin Maradona, Pele and Maldini" – vowing not to send his clients to the club in future.

When Pogba linked up with France for international duty earlier in November, Les Bleus manager Didier Deschamps further suggested that Pogba was unhappy with life in Manchester.

"He is in a situation with his club where he cannot be happy, neither with his playing time, nor with his positioning," Deschamps said.

However, on triggering the French star’s contract extension in October, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer vowed that the best was yet to come, despite Pogba already having had four years to prove himself.

"Paul's our player, he's going to be here for another two years and I'm sure Paul is focused on doing his best for us and we want to see the best of Paul," the Norwegian said of the £290,000-a-week star.

"So, in the next couple of years, I'm sure we'll get the best out of him." 

After Raiola’s latest comments, time may be running out on all sides for that to happen.