Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho has poured cold water on rumours linking midfielder Paul Pogba to European powerhouse Barcelona
Rumours have surrounded the 25-year-old who was said to be unhappy with Mourinho and wanted to leave in January.
According to the Portuguese coach, this cannot be further from the truth
Speaking ahead of their game against in-form Watford, the former Chelsea coach said: “Paul came back after the World Cup the week before we started the Premier League
“We are together two months or so. He never told me he wants to leave. Never. He never told me he wants to leave.
“I can only comment on what is real for me, not in what I read, not in what I listen. I have no direct relation with the people that write or the people that listen. I have a direct relation with the players – not only Paul – the players. And he never told me he wants to leave.
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“If he doesn’t tell me he wants to leave, it’s because he wants to stay. That’s my conclusion, no?”
Pogba seems tied down to the club– till 2021 at least, but players such as Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera and Juan Mata could all leave soon with their contracts set to expire at the end of the season.
Mourinho, however, is confident that they will stay
“I hope they will stay,” Mourinho said. “We had a similar conversation last season about Marouane [Fellaini] and I was always saying I hope he stays, I believe he stays. I say the same. I hope they stay.
“Of course, I am happy with the players. Luke’s evolution made us believe he goes in the right direction and of course I want to keep him.
“Juan and Ander, even if they are not playing or not playing a lot, not starting matches, by the personality point-of-view and character point-of-view, by what they represent in the modern society in football, they are almost unique pieces that I also don’t want to lose.”