Paul Pogba’s fractured relationship with Jose Mourinho hit an all-time low on Tuesday after the Manchester United manager told the France midfielder in front of team-mates that he will never captain the club again. Mourinho broke the bombshell news to his stunned squad at United’s Carrington training ground after reacting furiously to Pogba’s criticism of the team’s tactics at Old Trafford in the wake of Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The United manager is thought to have accused Pogba of believing he is bigger than the club as the Portuguese’s patience with his club record £89 million signing finally snapped. The extraordinary turn of events puts the two biggest personalities at Old Trafford in direct confrontation and creates a huge headache for Ed Woodward, the club’s executive vice-chairman.
Woodward will be under pressure to back Mourinho’s stance over Pogba, but doubts over whether the manager will still be in charge beyond the summer are likely to prove a complicating factor in terms of the midfielder’s own future at Old Trafford.
United have previously insisted Pogba is not for sale but the collapse in his relationship with Mourinho may intensify his desire to join Barcelona, who have been courting the 25-year-old since the summer and who could test United’s resolve to keep the player in the January transfer market.
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