‘Paul wants to stay at the highest level’: Paul Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola talks up Frenchman’s exit

Super-agent Mino Raiola hinted that Paul Pogba is likely to leave Manchester United if the club do not qualify for the Champions League.

The French midfielder is strongly linked with a move away from Old Trafford following United’s slump from Premier League challengers to top-four hopefuls in recent years.

And if the Red Devils spend a second consecutive year away from the Champions League, Raiola confessed it would be very difficult for the player to stay.

Mino Raiola has enjoyed a fractured relationship with United over the years

 Pogba’s agent told Italian media, via the Mirror: ‘He never lost his smile, but clearly a great player doesn’t go to Manchester United only to not challenge for the Champions League or the Premier League title.’ 

‘It would be bull for me not to admit Paul wants to stay at the highest level.

‘But Pogba will first and foremost try to give his best and then we’ll see at the end of the season if he ought to remain or not.’

The Frenchman has featured just seven times in the league for United this season, having played just 71 minutes since the end of September.

Pogba has made just seven league appearances for the Manchester club this season

This dismal season for Pogba at Old Trafford comes after he and his agent made comments over the summer stating the player’s desire to leave.

Since the, Raiola has made additional comments attacking the club, branding Manchester United as a club ‘out of touch with reality’ and one which would ‘ruin the careers of [Diego] Maradona, Pele and [Paolo] Maldini.’

Pogba’s preference is a return to former club Juventus, a desire which is widely-known, but Raiola admits that he is already in contact with Juventus about a summer move. 

Raiola called United a club ‘out of touch with reality’ in December of last year

These comments are not idea for Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer

 Raiola said: ‘I talk to Juventus and their vice-chairman Pavel Nedved about many things, including about Pogba and other players, as is only right for a big club.

‘You need to get information, see what’s happening, put down a few hypotheses, dream a little.’

The French midfielder has also been linked with moves to Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, but the player’s agent confirmed that no decision would be made until after this summer’s European Championships – which Pogba will be competing in. 

According to his agent, Pogba’s preference is a return to former club Juventus this summer

 The Italian added: ‘Along with Juventus, there are other clubs in for Paul, but right now he is with Manchester United.

‘What I can say is that, just like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul considers Italy to be his second home and he wouldn’t mind returning to Juventus, but we’ll talk about it after Euro 2020.

‘There’s nothing impossible in the transfer market, that has already been proved by Juve, PSG and Real Madrid. The achievement of impossible things is part of this business.’

Pogba has also been linked with a move to Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid this year

 All the speculation about Pogba’s future, however, would be quashed if Manchester United qualify for the Champions League next season. 

The Red Devils were given a boost when Manchester City were banned from UEFA competitions for two years, which means fifth-place in the Premier League could qualify for Europe’s premier club competition. 

United currently lie in ninth-place ahead of a crucial trip to Chelsea on Monday, but trail fifth-placed Sheffield United by just four points.