Pochettino would be great for Man Utd but Solskjaer should be given more time - Kleberson

Mauricio Pochettino would be a "great option" for Manchester United if they decide to appoint a new permanent manager, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the right man to take the club forward in the long-term, according to Kleberson.

Solskjaer was handed a three-year contract at Old Trafford back in March, following an impressive interim spell in charge which saw him revitalise a squad which had lost all confidence under his predecessor Jose Mourinho.

Results took a turn for the worse thereafter, however, and United ended up finishing the 2018-19 campaign sixth in the Premier League, while also failing to land a single piece of silverware.

Fast forward seven months and the Red Devils find themselves in sixth once again, a whopping 24 points behind leaders Liverpool and four behind Chelsea - who currently occupy the final Champions League spot.

Questions have been asked of Solskjaer's managerial credentials recently, with Pochettino heavily linked with the top job at the Theatre of Dreams after being sacked by Tottenham on November 21.

However, back-to-back wins over Tottenham and Manchester City at the start of December eased the pressure on the Norwegian, and supporters are now starting to buy into his vision and plans for the future.

Kleberson acknowledges what Pochettino could bring to the table in Manchester, but feels Solskjaer should be given more time to complete the squad's transformation.

"Mauricio Pochettino is a great manager and did great things for Tottenham whilst he was there," the ex-United midfielder told Bet New Jersey. "He’s a manager who will be wanted by a lot of Premier League sides because of what he’s achieved, so definitely for Man United he would be a great option. 

"But the way Solskjaer has got the team playing, his philosophy and his belief in young players means they don’t need to rush this decision. The transition over the last year hasn’t been easy but it’s the right way to go in the long-term.  

"The results right now aren’t perfect, but he’s built a strong team for the future. It’s not easy to bring in a new coach and style for the team, and if they were to change manager now it would need another transition period for the club.  

"If next season it’s still not working, then they need to think about a potential new coach to bring success back to the club."

One man who could be heading for the Old Trafford exits sooner rather than later is Paul Pogba, who has been out of action since the end of September with a foot injury.

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Real Madrid have been credited with an interest in the mercurial Frenchman, with Zinedine Zidane thought to be a keen admirer of a fellow countryman.

Solskjaer had originally stated that he expects Pogba to return to the pitch at some point this month, but revealed earlier this week that his comeback has been delayed by a bout of illness.

Kleberson sympathises with the midfielder's current plight, and believes he will still have a point to prove at Old Trafford when he returns to full fitness.
 
"The Paul Pogba situation reminds me of when I was at the club," Kleberson added. "I was struggling with injuries and long periods out, so I struggled to be a regular in the team. It was really tough, as all footballers want to play and show what they can offer the team.  

"Paul Pogba has seen the team achieve good things whilst he’s been injured, and he’ll want to be back out there. It will be tough because he can’t impact how the team plays and help the team gets results. 

"This will be an important time for Pogba, because it’s been a long time since he last played and now he’ll be fighting for his position. He’ll need to perform straight away on his return, but he’s a talented player that can raise his game, so he needs to show it."