Why Paul Pogba's Manchester United return proved a big-money failure

After rejoining Manchester United for a world-record £89 million fee in 2016, the expectations for Paul Pogba were sky-high.

The Frenchman was supposed to be the catalyst for United's return to the glory of the Sir Alex Ferguson years. While his first season back was fairly  successful, the years that followed failed to reach those heights.

Pogba’s next five campaigns at United were plagued with injuries, filled with controversy on and off the pitch, and ultimately resulted in no silverware. Telegraph Sport assesses the midfielder's second spell in Manchester, and analyses why one of his generation's most gifted talents failed to make his mark at Old Trafford.

Recurring injuries

Pogba arrived at Old Trafford in the same summer as big-name signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and manager Jose Mourinho – sparking fans' hopes the club would climb up the Premier League table and return to challenging for major trophies.

The midfielder was seen as a statement signing at the time, however Pogba was only able to help his side win two trophies – the Carabao Cup and Europa League, both of which came in his first season at the club.

There are several reasons for United’s lack of success in recent years, and Pogba is only a small piece of the puzzle – however, his failure to deliver consistent performances at a high level was one of many problems at United.

Injuries are one factor which had a major impact on Pogba’s career at United. The midfielder proved to be injury prone during his time in Manchester, and that played a huge role in his difficulties.

There were only two seasons where Pogba featured in 80 per cent or more of United’s games in all competitions, and only two seasons where he started in more than 60 per cent of games.

In the last three seasons, Pogba’s highest percentage of United games started was 51 per cent in 2020/21, with his lowest number of starts coming in 2019/20 where he only started in 26 per cent of his side's fixtures.

While injuries are often unavoidable, the recurring long-term injuries Pogba suffered meant he was unavailable for his team for long spells and therefore unreliable.

Those injuries also led to his commitment being questioned, with the Frenchman going abroad to do his rehab. In his newly released documentary, ‘The Pogmentary’,  Pogba revealed the breakdown of his relationship with Mourinho began when he decided to go to Miami for rehab after getting injured.

A similar situation occurred last season when Pogba travelled to Dubai after picking up a thigh injury while on international duty with France.

Interim manager Ralf Rangnick said the decision to allow Pogba to go abroad was made before he arrived, and that in future players should stay in Manchester for their recovery.

Pogba’s commitment to United has also come under question due to consistent speculation about his future. The Frenchman was linked with a move away from United as early as 2018 after Barcelona reportedly had a bid turned down for him.

Then in 2019, Pogba spoke to the media during a promotional tour in Japan saying he wanted a “new challenge”.

His brothers, Florentin and Mathias, also caused controversy over the years by hinting that Pogba’s future lay elsewhere in interviews.

Constantly changing role

Another factor which had an undoubted impact on Pogba’s performances was the position he was played in.

He was deployed in a number of positions throughout his time at United; often as a defensive midfielder or deep-lying playmaker in a double pivot, occasionally on the left-wing or in the ‘No 10’ role, and sometimes as a left central midfielder in a midfield three - the latter is seen as his best position as that is where he shone during his spell in Italy.

Pogba was frequently tasked with a more defensive role at United, which limited his natural attack-minded style of play and stunted his creativity.

When Pogba was played in his favoured left central midfield position, he was given more freedom to get forward and make an impact in the final third.

Pogba’s two best seasons were 2016/17 and 2018/19 in terms of consistency and numbers. In both campaigns he had long periods playing in his favoured position on the left side of the pitch.

United's recruitment failings

Pogba is ultimately responsible for his own career, but United must also share the blame for his struggles. Pogba has proven with both Juventus and France that in the right system and with the right players around him, he can be a game-changer.

During his time in Italy, Antonio Conte got the best out of Pogba by playing him in a midfield three and giving him the license to get forward and express himself - but crucially, this was also made possible by the players around him.

The likes of Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, and Claudio Marchisio helped Pogba flourish by taking charge of the other roles and responsibilities in the midfield.

Similarly for France, although Pogba has played in a double pivot, he has done so alongside one of the best midfielders in the world - N’Golo Kante.

The midfield at United has been a problem area for several years, and Pogba has also suffered for that reason. His midfield partners in recent seasons have been Scott McTominay and Fred who both have their limitations -but there has not been much of an alternative for managers, which comes down to the club's issues with recruitment.

Pogba’s best spells of form came when he was partnered with Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic. The Spaniard left United in 2019 and was never replaced, while Matic, who has signed for Roma this summer, did not have the legs to play week-in week-out.

If United had replaced Herrera, or even more importantly, signed a younger defensive midfielder to replace Matic - then we could have potentially seen Pogba perform at a high level on a more consistent basis.

Managerial merry-go-round

The ever-changing manager situation at United has also played a big part in Pogba’s difficulties – while things began well under Mourinho, their relationship began to deteriorate in the 2017/18 season and things only got worse from there.

The pair clashed a number of times, including instances on the sideline and training ground, which led to Pogba being dropped on several occasions and stripped of the vice-captaincy.

This had an impact on his ability to perform consistently, given he was in and out of the team so frequently. After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced Mourinho in December 2018, Pogba found the form of his life - scoring eight goals and getting five assists in the first 10 league games under the Norwegian.

The Frenchman went on to have one of the best individual seasons of his career in 2018/19, managing 16 goals and 11 assists in all competitions, and being named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.

Pogba was also the statistical leader for Manchester United in numerous categories, including goals, assists, chances created, possession won, and more.

When Pogba wasn’t sidelined through injury or due to personal issues with the manager, he often performed well for his team and made a significant difference.

In 2016/17, Pogba managed 15 goals and assists – but could have had even more considering the number of chances he created.

The following season he accumulated a total of 18 goals and assists in significantly fewer games; only making 37 appearances compared to the 51 in the season prior.

He also delivered in big games over the years against United’s ‘big six’ rivals – with one of the more notable games being the incredible 3-2 comeback in 2018 where Pogba scored twice in two minutes to delay Manchester City’s title celebrations.

The midfielder also played a crucial role in helping United lift the Europa League in his first season, scoring the opening goal in the final where they secured a 2-0 victory over Ajax.

Pogba is undeniably an extremely gifted player, and one of the most talented United have had in recent years. However, he has not lived up to the expectations sparked when he re-signed for the club.

While he had good moments for United, particularly in his first couple of seasons, Pogba never consistently hit the heights he is capable of. Now history is repeating itself, with the player departing Old Trafford on a free transfer for a second time and seemingly on his way back to Juventus.

There are several reasons for his struggles during his second spell in Manchester, including injuries, his position, his differences with managers, and the players around him – but ultimately Pogba himself must shoulder much of the burden.