One of the world’s most esteemed football directors has claimed he once spoke and dealt with Manchester United for a “unique and unrepeatable” transfer.
Almost ten years ago, in 2016, Manchester United secured a record deal of £89 million to sign French International Paul Pogba. While a star for Serie A giants Juventus, Pogba didn’t live up to his price tag.
Although Pogba was part of the squad that won both the Europa League and League Cup in 2017, his six-season spell at United is widely regarded as incredibly underwhelming, and he left Old Trafford in 2022 to return to Juventus.
The Frenchman’s frequent injuries and disputes with Jose Mourinho, United’s head coach at the time, left fans, club staff, and pundits unimpressed with his signing.
Although the vast majority of people were seemingly unhappy with Pogba’s move, Former Juventus football director Beppe Marotta recalls the deal fondly. During Pogba’s transfer, Marotta served as the Bianconeri’s sporting director and was a key figure in the Frenchman’s move.
Loss for United, win for Juventus
Maratto recently spoke to DAZN regarding Pogba’s move to United, recalling in an incredibly positive manner, with the transfer a fantastic financial gain for Juventus.
He said, “The historic one bears Pogba’s name. We acquired him, thanks to the staff I had at Juventus, for free from Manchester United, and we casually sold him back to them after 2-3 years for €115 million. Yes, their management has changed, but for me it’s something unique and unrepeatable.
“We acquired him thanks to the cunning and diplomacy of Mino Raiola, who was one of the best agents around. He facilitated this acquisition for us, we managed it as a team, and it was seemingly easy.”
Marotta not only recalled how the Italian side made the move easy for him, but also recognised his good relationship with United legend Sir Alex Ferguson.
“I also remember selling Taibi from Venezia to the Red Devils. I regret the loss of figures like Ferguson, who was the English team’s manager at the time and whom I got to know very well.”
Why did Pogba fail in Manchester?
One of the biggest questions that arises when discussing Pogba’s time at United is where it all went wrong.
Pogba joined Juventus for the first time in 2012 as a teenager, with his time in Turin nothing but praiseworthy. Antonio Conte crafted a space for the youngster to grow his talent with the stability provided at Juventus, something Man United just couldn’t replicate.
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During Pogba’s time at United, he played under five different managers, with the argument arising that the central midfielder could’ve been far more successful for the Reds if he were in a less rocky environment.
Where Pogba was used to a clear-cut team in Italy, his time in England couldn’t have been more different; the constant changes were a key factor in the downfall of the once-young star.
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