Some fans will say Paul Pogba is chasing the money. Others will say he got a little bad advice from his latest agent. But the fact is the 18-year-old midfielder is leaving Manchester United for Juventus because he envisions a brighter future for himself in Turin than he does in Manchester.
The Independent reports Pogba signed a four-year £830,000 ($1.3 million) per season contract with Juve on Tuesday. It also netted his agent, Mino Raiola, a £1.7million ($2.7 million) fee for negotiating the deal, according to the Mail.
It’s a lot of money for a player who has played all of 19 minutes of Premier League soccer in his career. But Pogba is no ordinary player by all accounts. He represents France at the U-19 level, led the young Red Devils to the 2011 FA Youth Cup title and was seen as the brightest of United’s future stars.
Sir Alex Ferguson remained adamant that he wanted Pogba to continue his development with the club, even as negotiations stalled throughout the season. The United boss believed he would be able to hold onto Pogba as recently as early February. But the holding midfielder is heading for the Old Trafford exit door, and Ferguson is reportedly furious.
Pogba’s first Juventus contract will make him a millionaire before he reaches 20. But when it comes to top-level club soccer in 2012, it’s really not too much money. If he develops as everyone expects him to, he should be a full French international and starter at a title-contending club by age 21.
His next contract should pay him at least three times the £830,000 he’ll make next season. Even if United offered him only half of what Juventus did, there’s no reason a player with his potential would mortage his future for so little short-term gain.
The Italian club would not necessarily give him more opportunities for playing time (over the next three seasons) than United. Andrea Pirlo is enjoying a renaissance with Juventus, and the 32-year-old will likely hold his place at the base of the midfield for at least one more season. Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal are entering their primes and should be considered immovable objects.
Ferguson’s United has a rich history of giving young players a chance to prove themselves, so it’s hard to believe Juve manager Antonio Conte promised Pogba more playing time — in the near term — than Ferguson would offer. Veteran midfielder Michael Carrick and youngsters Anderson and Tom Cleverley are presently ahead of Pogba in Ferguson’s pecking order. The ageless Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs will play for at most another season.
If long-term money and playing time are not the determining factors, then the direction of both clubs must be taken into consideration. As long as Ferguson is in charge, Manchester United will remain a top club in English and European soccer. But he is 70 years young, and he plans to remain in his current role for another “two or three more years.” Pogba’s move may not have been about where he plays from the ages of 18-22. He may have been thinking six to 10 years ahead.
Will Manchester United be challenging for Premier and UEFA Champions Leauge trophies three years after Ferguson retires? There’s a good chance of that happening. But it’s just as likely that Ferguson’s successor will not match the legendary manager’s feats of strength.
Perhaps Pogba sees Conte’s resurgent Juventus as the team of the future. Not only does it have a sparkling new stadium. It also has a tradition and ambition that rivals United. Is Turin a more attractive destination for world soccer’s top young talents? Time will tell, but Paul Pogba seems to think so.
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Thumbnail photo courtesy of Flickr/manutdot
