Why Paul Pogba flopped during ‘sad’ second spell at Man Utd – Fellow Frenchman Kingsley Coman explains why ‘crazy’ demands were too much for midfielder

Having graduated out of the Red Devils’ famed academy system to make his senior breakthrough under Sir Alex Ferguson, after four years in Italy with Juventus the France international returned to Old Trafford in 2016 when Jose Mourinho splashed out a record-breaking £89 million ($110m) in order to secure his signature.

Pogba would go on to win the League Cup and Europa League – making 226 appearances in total across six seasons before retracing his steps to Turin – but plenty of questions were asked of his value to the collective cause as the all-action midfielder struggled to justify his hefty price tag.

Coman, who has regularly lined up alongside Pogba in the colours of his country, has told the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast – presented by Qatar Airways – of what went wrong for his World Cup-winning compatriot at United: “I was sad about his time in Man U because I also felt like Man U was asking him to do too much. You know when I think also his time his start to decline a bit. I think he was still as good but people ask him to score while he's a midfield player. To do assist, to do everything. I think at one point he was even like the best goal scorer and assist man. This is not what you ask for midfield player and when they ask you so much and that you can't do your regular game. When you're in the middle and you just give the ball to the people then you always need to do crazy things and even though he was the best you cannot play crazy and score.”

Coman added: “I think this is what this was and I really don't think it was his fault. Obviously then maybe after he could have done something but I was really like when you ask him too much then was like you don't ask him what you will ask from any other midfielder in the world. So then you need to play and then you lose more ball because you need to do more….because they're expecting you to do so much. It's impossible …the regular game where you just take the ball and give it to the guy that will make the difference. They were like Pogba was not good today, didn't do anything.”

Pogba endured further struggles back in Italy, landing a four-year ban from football for a failed doping test in September 2023 that was eventually reduced to 18 months on appeal. He is now a free agent after seeing his contract terminated and will be cleared to resume his professional career in March 2025.