Solskjaer to allegedly offer Man United captaincy to Paul Pogba

In an effort to keep Paul Pogba at Manchester United beyond this summer, some news outlets are reporting that the Frenchman is set to be handed the captaincy by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

With Antonio Valencia set to leave the club on a free transfer after ten years at Man United, one of Solskjaer’s tasks this summer will be to appoint a new captain. ESPN have quoted unnamed sources saying that the manager is set to offer the captaincy to Paul Pogba, amidst rumours that the Frenchman is on his way out of the club.

Ashley Young is likely to be next in line for the armband, having captained United for much of the recently concluded 2018-19 season, and having signed a one-year contract extension in February. However, at thirty-three he is likely to be involved less, opening up a regular captaincy role.

Solskjaer allegedly hopes that the promise of more responsibility will keep Pogba at the club, and help keep away the advances of Real Madrid. The Frenchman is under contract until 2022 but endured an up-and-down season.

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Turn of events in the 2018-19 season

He was publicly stripped of the United captaincy under Jose Mourinho, but like much of the squad, saw a phenomenal uptick in form once Solskjaer took over before Christmas. Though he was not involved in the remarkable comeback against PSG, some assumed a page had been turned.

However, United’s poor run towards the end of the season coincided with Pogba putting in a series of pedestrian performances, which led to the club finishing sixth and missing out on the Champions League next year.

Pogba’s season ended on a sour note personally, as he was abused by some fans after United’s last game of the season, a loss to already relegated Cardiff City at Old Trafford.

There is no doubting the Frenchman’s talent, but a lot of the criticism he has received over the course of the season has been justified. There is every chance that the promise of more responsibility could see Pogba raise his game, but consistency will be key if he is to win back the fans he has lost.

United are in line for a summer of change. Ander Herrera has already agreed to join Paris Saint Germain on a free transfer, and Matteo Darmian seems likely to join Valencia in leaving. There is likely to be significant upheaval within the squad, as Solskjaer looks to rebuild his team.

It would be comforting for the manager to lock down the team’s undisputed star player, and avoid a long-drawn-out contract saga, particularly because one may develop with David de Gea, who is entering the last year of his contract.

Solskjaer appears to be indicating that he wants to build around Pogba and his talent. It remains to be seen if the Frenchman is willing to be a cornerstone of United’s arduous journey back to relevance, particularly with the enticing prospect of working with Zinedine Zidane waiting in Madrid.