Paul Pogba: The £89 million disappointment at Manchester United

Welcome back to Failed Football Transfers, where we break down football’s most expensive and high-profile transfer flops. Today, we’re looking at a player whose career has been filled with highs and lows - Paul Pogba and his much-anticipated return to Manchester United from Juventus in 2016. How did one of the world’s most talented midfielders, who left United as a youngster and thrived at Juventus, fail to make his second stint at Old Trafford a lasting success? Let’s find out.

In 2016, Pogba was the talk of world football. After leaving Manchester United in 2012 for free, he became a global superstar at Juventus, winning four Serie A titles and reaching the 2015 Champions League final. His dominant displays in midfield made him one of the most sought-after players in the game. When United announced his return for a then-world record fee of £89 million, the excitement was off the charts, with the #Pogback campaign adding to the hype. With France, he was also a key figure, helping his nation reach the Euro 2016 final

United fans believed that Pogba’s return would signal a new era of dominance with Jose Mourinho also taking the reins at Old Trafford. His first season saw him help United lift the League Cup and Europa League. Initially, it seemed like a match made in heaven but cracks soon appeared. Pogba’s inconsistent form, combined with tactical clashes with Mourinho, stifled his performances. While there were moments of brilliance, like his brace that inspired a comeback win against Manchester City in 2018, those flashes were too infrequent.

One of the key issues was his breakdown of relationship with Mourinho, which hit rock bottom in 2018 when Pogba was stripped of the vice-captaincy. Off-field distractions, including public comments from his agent Mino Raiola, and persistent transfer rumours, further overshadowed his time at Old Trafford.

By 2022, his injury problems worsened, sidelining him for large portions of his final two seasons. Pogba eventually left Manchester United on a free transfer, once again rejoining Juventus.

Unfortunately, his return to Turin has been no better. Injury troubles persisted, and in 2023, Pogba tested positive for testosterone, resulting in a doping suspension. Originally facing a four-year ban, his sentence was reduced to 18 months, allowing him to return to competitive football in March 2025.

Despite these struggles, Pogba’s career wasn’t without highlights. In 2018, he was instrumental in France’s World Cup triumph, a moment that cemented his place among the world’s elite.

Pogba’s second spell at Manchester United is one of football’s great "what if" stories. On his day, he was one of the best midfielders in the world, capable of dominating games and producing moments of magic. But inconsistency, injuries, and off-field distractions meant that he never fully delivered on his world-record fee. His time at Old Trafford will be remembered as a saga of untapped potential, and another expensive lesson in football’s unpredictable world of transfers.

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