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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes that the French media are trying to escalate speculation about the future of Paul Pogba because of his connection to his compatriot Zinedine Zidane.
World Cup winner Pogba, 27, said at Clairefontaine’s French training base last week that “all footballers would like to play for Real Madrid” and that it is a “dream” for him to join. to Real Madrid.
Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola said last December that Zidane’s re-election as Real Madrid manager was a key factor in the United midfielder’s interest in moving to Spain. Pogba and Zidane were photographed together in Dubai during the international break in October last year and it is believed that Solskjaer was unhappy with Zidane’s public attempts to unsettle Pogba.
United re-signed Pogba in 2016 for a world record £ 89 million and MEN revealed that the club has activated the one-year extension on Pogba’s deal to link him to Old Trafford until 2022.
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Zidane pressured Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez to sign Pogba four years ago and, as long as he remains Madrid’s manager next summer, an approach is inevitable unless United negotiate a new contract with Pogba.
“When players are out in international matches, they could be affected by questions,” Solskjaer said. “Or is it the French connection there with Zidane, I think that’s the angle that the French media had.
“Paul has responded as he has. He has a two-year contract here, I’m sure we will bring out the best in him. We are still working to bring out the best in him here.”
United have had a disastrous start to the season, losing two of their three Premier League games and conceding 11 goals to place them 16th in the table with a goal difference of minus seven.
Despite an encouraging end to their national campaign last season, United ended trophy-free in the 2019-20 season after three semi-final losses and have not lifted a silver medal since winning the Europa League in May 2017. .
Solskjaer faces a probationary period before international matches in November, with league matches against Newcastle, Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton peppered with draws in the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig.
“The center of attention should be on me because I am the coach and responsible,” Solskjaer emphasized. “I raise my hand so you can see me in focus.
“Last season was also difficult, we played nine games and won two of the first nine, which was difficult. But, if you are part of Man United as a player or staff, you are used to this and you have to be mentally strong and, to Me, this period is another opportunity to show and tell the players how much we believe in them. It’s about being focused for the next game because I know they are capable of getting results and moving up the table. “
“This is a long-term project, we are taking it step by step. I think maybe last season showed in flashes that we have the potential to get closer to the teams in front of us.”
“Football is strange now, we see some results … After the reboot it was a bit new and unfamiliar and it seemed that everyone was enjoying it. Now I feel like more and more games are becoming sterile or more like training games. Some of the internationals there didn’t make sense to them, really.
“For us, now we have to create that energy in our game now that we had, that is the key for us now, that we recover and create that energy, and it will not be easy without the fans.
“Hopefully we can get the fans back soon, in the meantime we need to find that extra edge, that mental edge.
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