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Just when it seemed that Manchester United's drama-filled start to the season was finally settling, Paul Pogba seems to have to stoked the troubled fires again.
Speaking in an interview before France's UEFA Nations League tie against The Netherlands, Pogba seemed to have left the door open for a possible move to FC Barcelona either in January or next season.
This has not gone down well with Manchester United fans who have been swayed by Jose Mourinho's clever manipulations and are now turning against the Portuguese manager's perceived enemies; Ed Woodward, Pogba and others.
The latest statements will not go down well with anybody within the club as there is the feeling that the French international has not done enough to justify the behaviour he is currently exhibiting. Following his record-breaking £89m move from Juventus in 2016, it was felt that he would become the corner piece of the new-look Manchester United side post-Sir Alex Ferguson.
The club would want to recoup a part of the huge fee it paid for his services but of more immediate concern would be signing a replacement.
Here is a look at 5 players who could be signed if Pogba does eventually leave:
#5 Frenkie De Jong (Ajax)
One youngster whose stock has risen rapidly in recent months, the world is very much at his feet. The 21-year-old has in a very short time become integral for Ajax and may excel just as well for United. Operating as a regista (deep-lying playmaker), De Jong is the builder-from-the-back, a highly revered position in Dutch football.
He has the intelligence to know when to carry the ball forward to evade the pressing of the opposition. He is also aware enough to know when to pass conservatively to slow down the tempo to help teammates recover or pass forward to start attacks/counter attacks.
An excellent trait of his which would serve him well is his ability to drop into the centre of the defence and make it a flat back three whenever the fullbacks push on. This makes him the perfect long-term replacement for Pogba.
He can also be fielded alongside Nemanja Matic or Scott McTominay as he can carry the ball forward like the best of them and possesses a range of passing that could rival those of more experienced central midfielders.
A rather pricey €50 million has been quoted for the youngster who could represent better long-term value than even a World Cup winner like Pogba.
#4 Geoffrey Kondogbia (Valencia CF)
A sparkling talent who could slot in almost seamlessly for Pogba would be the newly-minted Central African Republic international.
Spending last season on loan at the Mestalla, the 25-year-old was undoubtedly one of the top performers in the entire league. His tackling abilities and intelligence helped solidify Valencia’s midfield last season (a key reason why Marcelino’s team got 4th spot and Champions League football).
His physical strength coupled with his pace and power made him the ideal partner for Valencia captain Dani Parejo last season. Were he to move to Old Trafford, he could do the same with Matic.
A tireless runner, he is adept at performing his defensive duties; marking, tackling and shielding the ball from the opposition. He is also a huge threat further up the pitch as he can carry the ball forward with pace and intelligence and has amazing passing abilities.
His has a powerful shot and carries an aerial threat. This will allow him to get more than his fair share of goals.
A midfield of Matic, McTominay, Ander Herrera, Fred, and Kondogbia would be too hot to handle for a lot of teams. Having just made a permanent €25 move to Valencia from Inter Milan, he is said to have a rather pricey €80 million buyout clause.
#3 Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
An exceptional young deep-lying playmaker, the 21-year-old is already being raved about in the Premier League.
He has been described as been more mature than players of his age are usually and this is seen in his style of play. A midfielder who defends like a matured centre-back would: with intelligence and an excellent reading of the game; he possesses a bouquet of skills similar to that of the best players in his position.
He has excellent long-range passing and the vision to by-pass opposition midfield with balls over the top. This would be of great benefit to Manchester United's front line and manager Mourinho front line as it would allow the attackers to play further forward.
This defensive nous coupled with his brilliant passing and ability to dictate means he would be perfect for filling the regista-role if Pogba leaves. He was the standout player in the Championship last season. Given that he joined for £15.8m and his importance to the team, he could command a pretty high transfer fee.
#2 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (SS Lazio)
Simply put, the giant young Serbian is good at all the things Pogba is good/supposed to be good at.
A very mobile presence in the centre of the midfield, Milinkovic-Savic is a very confident player who would have little issues in replacing the Frenchman were the rumoured move to Barcelona ever to become a reality.
Fast, strong and skilful, he has a passing range that is equally as good as that of the man he is likely to replace at Old Trafford. Like Pogba, he is more than capable of carrying the ball forward and acting as a playmaker of sorts. His assists stats are actually better than that of Pogba over the last couple of seasons (since the Frenchman joined Manchester United).
His aerial presence, skill and tackling ability make him the perfect partner for Matic, Herrera and Fred. His versatility also means that Mourinho will be able to deploy him either in a two-man or three-man midfield (depending on the opposition).
He will not come cheap as Lazio president Claudio Lotito has consistently said that it would take a huge bid for him to countenance losing his most prized asset.
#1 Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich)
The creative fulcrum of Bayern and a long-time target for United, it is doubtful if the Spanish international will be willing to play for Pep Guardiola’s biggest rival given his history with the Catalan manager.
However, if United and manager Mourinho can come to an agreement with the prodigiously talented Thiago, the team will be getting a genuine world-class talent who still has quite a lot to offer
Blessed with an incredible balance and agility that allows him to skip into space and past a marker, Thiago is also capable of playing the long searching balls either in the air on the ground that are the hallmark of all the world’s best registas.
He is able to retain possession under pressure and dribble past opponents into space in order to create chances for his teammates, something Pogba and the other midfielders have consistently failed to do.
Unlike Pogba, the son of former Brazilian World Cup winner Mazinho has the tactical and positional discipline plus ability to dictate the tempo of a match and would serve United very well especially in the big games against fellow top teams.
