Manchester United are said to have ‘completely shelved’ contract talks with Paul Pogba with the club prepared to let the midfielder leave on a free transfer.
Pogba has entered the final months of his deal with the Red Devils and has so far shown no willingness to extend his contract, with the France international free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with foreign sides from January.
According to the Sun, Manchester United are prepared to allow Pogba’s contract to run down with the club having grown frustrated with the actions of the player’s agent, Mino Raiola.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain have all been linked with signing the 28-year-old, who is expected to be sidelined for around two months after picking up a thigh injury whilst on international duty with France.
The report suggests, given that injury, that Pogba could have played his last game for the club, who would be ‘happy’ to ‘leave him out of the team if necessary’ for the remainder of his deal.
Pogba has faded following a bright start to the Premier League season, with the midfielder currently serving a three-match ban after being sent off during the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool last month.
Should he depart on a free transfer, it will be the second occasion that Pogba has left the Red Devils at the expiry of his contract, having previously departed in 2012 before returning in a then £89m world-record deal from Juventus four seasons later.
