Rio Ferdinand: Paul Pogba should be ‘jewel in crown’ at Manchester United… but they have not built around him

Rio Ferdinand has launched an impassioned defence of Paul Pogba, claiming he should be ‘the jewel in the crown’ at Manchester United and accusing the club of failing to build around him.

Pogba has made just eight appearances for United all season because of various injury problems, and could yet leave the club this summer.

He has been heavily criticised by pundits for failing to live up to the hefty price tag that saw him arrive in what remains a British transfer record deal from Juventus in 2016.

However, Ferdinand believes the Frenchman has been burdened by unrealistic expectations at a time when United have been a long way short of their former glories.

“Has he been the Paul Pogba that we come to expect when he’s a £90million transfer? I’d argue that he hasn’t been as consistent as we’d like,” Ferdinand said in a Q&A on his YouTube channel. “But at the same time, this has been a squad in absolute transition, had multiple managers.

Manchester United via Getty Images

“It’s like a business. If you invested £90m in a certain part of your business, you’d make that the jewel in your crown and build around it and I don’t think that’s what’s happened with Paul Pogba.

“If you’re spending that much money and he’s a superstar like he is, you know what he’s bringing to the table, he’s won multiple things, been instrumental in doing that, how are you not gonna build that around him?

“It doesn’t matter who you bring in, if the team isn’t consistent and the team is still trying to find themselves. Yes, you can bring in great players but for them to make that huge difference and be that catalyst – to take them from a low ebb to being Champions League winners and league contenders – I think it’s impossible to expect.”

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Pogba’s naysayers have often taken issue with his behaviour off the field as much as his form on it, with former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness among his most regular critics.

Again, however, Ferdinand believes the 27-year-old is being held up to unfair standards.

“I think a lot of the opinions stem from the social media presence that he has,” Ferdinand added. “A lot of those guys are old school and I can probably be accused of being like that at times. You’re serious about the game, you’re not broadcasting all that stuff on social media.

Pogba and Souness have aimed digs at each other in recent weeks
AFP via Getty Images

“He’s injured and he’s going to a christening or a wedding and he’s dancing or he’s in the changing room dancing. This is Paul Pogba, that’s his life, that’s the way he is. You can’t beat him with a stick because of his personality.

“This generation of players are different to my generation and even more so to the likes of Roy Keane and Graeme Souness.

“Paul Pogba doesn’t drink, he’s not a nightclub merchant, but he goes on social media. What’s worse? Because the players we were talking about before, like myself, would be in a nightclub or drinking at times and he doesn’t do that but he’s still being absolutely vilified.”

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