Manchester United interim manager, Ralf Rangnick, has issued a warning to Paul Pogba saying that he will not try to convince him to remain at the club if he decides to leave Old Trafford next summer.
Rangnick gave the warning on Friday during his pre-match press conference ahead of Man United’s Premier League tie with Norwich City on Saturday evening.
Pogba’s current contract at Man United will expire at the end of the season and he is free to discuss terms with clubs outside the Premier League in January.
The France International who is currently in Dubai where he is recovering from a thigh injury he sustained during the November international break is believed to be still deciding his future and has not ruled out signing a new deal at Man United.
When asked if he could influence Pogba’s decision, Rangnick categorically stated that there is no point trying to keep hold of a player who is already looking elsewhere.
“I wouldn’t say he’s not worth keeping but, of course, players have to want to play and stay for a club and a big club like Manchester United,” Rangnick said.
“If a player does not want to play for a club like Manchester United in the medium or long-term, I don’t think it makes sense to convince him to change his mind.
“This is such a massive club with such fantastic support from the supporters, I don’t think anyone in the club should try to convince a player to stay. But on the other hand, let’s wait and see.
“I spoke with him for 15 minutes over the phone a few days ago. Let’s have him come back, get fully fit, train with the team and then see where we stand, how the team has developed by then.
“He can be an important player but this is true for all the other players that we have and I’m not just the coach of Paul Pogba, I’m also the coach of all the other players and my ambition is to make them better, improve each individual player, and this is only possible by improving the performance of the whole team.
“In football it’s impossible to develop players individually without the team being successful and without the team being sustainable.”