‘Like boyfriend & girlfriend’ – Paul Pogba explains turbulent relationship with ex-Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho

French midfielder Pogba became the most expensive player in world football when completing an £89 million ($116m) transfer to Old Trafford in 2016. It was Mourinho, fresh from taking on the Red Devils’ managerial reins, that put that deal in place.

Pogba, who had left United as a free agent in 2012 and headed to Juventus, enjoyed a productive debut campaign on his return to England as Community Shield, League Cup and Europa League trophies were lifted. He was, however, to butt heads with fiery Portuguese coach Mourinho.

Mourinho was sacked in December 2018, with Pogba telling the Daily Mail of why his relationship with the demanding tactician was not always smooth sailing: “Our relationship was like boyfriend and girlfriend, we were breaking up and making up all the time. It started great, he was one of the reasons I went back to Manchester because I spoke to him and he convinced me to come back.

“I don’t know why it turned into a nightmare and us fighting. Because I wasn’t fighting. I didn’t start the fight. We disagreed like managers and players do sometimes. But there’s a lot of respect from me to him. If I see him tomorrow it’s a big hug! But one day we will have to sit down together and discuss it.”

Pogba was critical of Mourinho’s supposedly conservative tactics, with it suggested in 2021 that the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss treats players like they “don’t exist”. World Cup winner Pogba – who is now back at Juve – has been discussing his career after seeing a four-year doping ban reduced to 18 months on appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).