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While there have been many murmurs that Paul Pogba is set for a departure from Manchester United, there has been no clear indication that the Red Devils have altered their stance about selling him.
With Real Madrid still being touted as the most probable destination for the Frenchman, his desire to move away could mean little if the Old Trafford outfit double down on not selling him except for a huge sum.
As such, Paul Pogba could instead be persuaded to sign a new contract with some immensely improved terms and if he does, the implications would be great. Simply put, a decision to stay on his part could set in motion a chain of events.
Let us now take a look at what could happen if Paul Pogba decides to stay with Manchester United:
#1 Bellingham over Partey
If Paul Pogba stays, Manchester United will have to rethink a good chunk of their plans for the upcoming transfer window and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will likely make a move for Jude Bellingham instead of Thomas Partey in the summer.
The two players were heavily linked with the Red Devils in the last few months. However, the likelihood of Partey joining will be significantly reduced if Pogba remains a part of the squad.
With most European giants already eager for the Atletico Madrid midfielder’s signature, it is unlikely he will move to Old Trafford where he’ll be competing with Pogba, Fred, Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic for a regular starting spot in the first place. As such, this scenario does beg the question as to which side the Ghanaian international will eventually sign for.
Meanwhile, Birmingham City youngster Bellingham can become a part of the Red Devils' first-team squad and could ape a Daniel James-esque jump from the Championship to the Premier League to perfectly fit Solskjaer’s preferred philosophy.
#2 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to Juventus
Apart from Real Madrid, Juventus were also looking to re-sign the player with whom they had massive levels of success. Signing Paul Pogba would have been their next logical move towards trying to lift the ever-elusive Champions League trophy.
However, if the Frenchman isn’t on his way out, the Bianconeri will have to start looking elsewhere for their desperately-needed world-class midfielder. In that regard, no one could perhaps suit their Champions League ambitions more than Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
The Serb has been Lazio’s star midfielder for several campaigns and his skillset clearly matches what the reigning Serie A champions need. His tally of 4 goals and 4 assists in 25 appearances this campaign aside, the former Genk man’s penchant for delivering through balls and making key passes is also one of the many endearing qualities that will be useful if he moves to Turin.
Considering that he was once on Manchester United’s wishlist, it is fair to say that he will be as good a replacement for Paul Pogba as it gets.
#3 Chance for Real Madrid Players to prove themselves
If no new signing comes in to snatch up all the glory at the Santiago Bernabeu, some of the existing talent at Real Madrid could take up the opportunity to make their mark on the team.
This would mean big things for Federico Valverde, whose rise to prominence under Zinedine Zidane has been immense. This campaign, the promise has been displayed with his tally of 2 goals and 4 assists. At 21, he can try and further his brilliance even more in the midfield, perhaps in a manner that Paul Pogba would have been pressured to ace, saving Los Blancos' funds.
Likewise, Martin Ødegaard could try and find his feet at the club again. The Norwegian has cemented his spot amongst La Liga’s finest creators during his loan spell with Real Sociedad this season. Touted for great heights when he first emerged onto the scene, this could easily be a way for the starlet to make his mark once again, having also been backed to fill the boots of Luka Modric.
#4 Dream Paul Pogba-Bruno Fernandes midfield pairing
If Paul Pogba stays, the Premier League will finally get to enjoy him playing alongside January signing Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese star has lit up Manchester United's midfield and has made them look more confident in their proceedings in the middle of the park.
Tactically, this will be a delightful pairing as it injects plenty of creativity into the attack, not to mention the duo's tendency to have a go at goal.
Odion Ighalo expressed this sentiment the best when he stated:
“Imagine when we have Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes in the midfield. Then you will see a different team. Man United is going to be great again, winning games week in, week out. He is a great player and it is going to be a privilege to play with him.”
The partnership will be a formidable one and their creative abilities could be precisely what Manchester United need to establish themselves as regular title challengers once again.
