Interim Manchester United manager, Ralf Rangnick, has insisted that he will not try to convince Paul Pogba to stay at the club beyond the end of his current contract.
The future of the 28-year-old is once again set to be one of the biggest talking points of the upcoming transfer windows, with his deal expiring at the end of this season.
Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola has confirmed that there have already been “many offers” for his client, and he will be allowed to open talks over joining overseas clubs as a free agent from January 1.
The France international is currently sidelined through injury and Rangnick suggested that he will discuss his future once he returns, but believes that there is no place at Old Trafford for players who do not want to be there.
“I wouldn’t say he is not worth keeping but players need to want to stay and play for the club. If a player doesn’t want to play for a club like Manchester United, even in the long term, I don’t think it makes sense to convince him to change his mind,” Rangnick told reporters.
“This is such a massive club, with fantastic support, I don’t think anyone at the club should try to convince a player to stay. Let’s have him come back, get fully fit and training with the team, then we will see where we stand.
“I have to get to know him. I have to speak to him. It is about being fully physically fit. The way we want to play is high intensity. It will take some time for him to get fully fit. Once he is fully fit, I see him as a midfielder rather than a striker or a left winger.
“The only thing of interest to me is how do we get him fully fit. He can be an important player, I am fully aware of that. But that is true for all the players. I am not only the coach of Paul Pogba. I am also the coach of all the other players.”
Pogba has chalked up seven assists in his nine Premier League appearances this season, but has not featured since being sent off 15 minutes after coming on as a substitute in the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool.
