Rio Ferdinand offers Paul Pogba advice on Manchester United transfer talk, Mino Raiola... and Graeme Souness

Tom Doyle27 April 2020

Rio Ferdinand believes that Paul Pogba should be the one talking about his future at Manchester United - not his agent Mino Raiola.

Pogba's Old Trafford career is uncertain, with the World Cup winner stating last summer that he wanted a "fresh challenge" away from United.

Unfortunately for Pogba, a move to Real Madrid never materialised - and his 2019/20 season has been plagued by injury problems.

Real and Juventus are being linked with a fresh move for Pogba, but United - who valued the midfielder at £150million before the coronavirus pandemic - are in no hurry to sell a prized asset.

The France international's agent, Mino Raiola, has been openly critical of United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season, to the point that they pulled out of the running to sign Erling Haaland in January after refusing to meet Raiola's financial demands.

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Pogba has also been involved in a spat with Graeme Souness: the former Liverpool defender has never been shy of ctiticising Pogba, who recently responded to Souness' jibes by claiming he had no idea who he was.

Given the uncertainty regarding Pogba's future, former United defender Ferdinand told The Beautiful Game Podcast that while the midfielder is free to respond to Souness, he should also be taking the lead on transfer speculation - and not leave it to Raiola.

"He hasn't even played football this year," Ferdinand said of Souness' criticism. "I don't understand it. Why are you chatting about Paul Pogba? He didn't play this season, really. So he shouldn't be in the conversation, I don't understand.

"For Paul Pogba to say he doesn't know who [Souness] is or wouldn't know him as a footballer, I believe that. It's not disrespectful, he doesn't know him.

"As great a player as Souness was - he was a top player, one of the best. If you were talking about the best British midfielders we've produced, he's in the conversation, 100 per cent, Graeme Souness was a good player. But Paul Pogba doesn't know him. Simple as that, and that's the difference of generations. I don't think it's disrespectful.

Souness has been a frequent critic of Pogba.
Getty Images

"If I was Paul Pogba, I'd say the same thing, but I would have said it from a disrespectful standpoint. Because I'd be saying, 'you've been dissing me all this time and I've not kicked a ball, why are you talking about me?'

"And I'm honest about Paul and I love Paul, because he's a great kid. I've known him since he was a young boy and I still chat to him now.

"But the only problem I have with Paul is he should chat instead of his agent chatting. If he did that there would be more clarity on the whole situation.

"I spoke to him about all that type of stuff but Paul's his own man and he's going to deal with it his own way, I respect that, that's fine. So that's the only thing I'd say."

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