Paul Pogba was finally officially unveiled as a Manchester United player on Monday. The France midfielder took to social media to address the fans as well as to explain why he had to remain silent during the transfer negotiations.
The 23-year-old returns to the club he left at the age of 19, after spending four successful years at Juventus. It has been a protracted move though, with Italian and English media constantly providing updates on an agreement without any official word from either of the clubs or the player himself.
Man United have now officially announced that Pogba has joined them on a five-year deal. Following the announcement, the Frenchman wasted no time in thanking the Juventus fans on social media and explaining to United fans just why he remained silent amid all the speculation.
“This transfer took so long because it was a huge decision and involved lots of thinking and work,” Pogba wrote on Instagram (via The Guardian). “The wait was as annoying to me as it was to you. To all supporters who wrote on my pages about transfer rumours, I have read you all and thank you for the passionate messages. My apologies for not responding before, by law I could not talk.”
The transfer fee Manchester United paid for Pogba is reportedly €110 million, which puts him ahead of Gareth Bale as the world’s most expensive footballer. Although there have been contrasting views regarding the transfer from pundits and fans alike, there is little doubt that he will provide a huge boost to the Manchester United midfield.
The Red Devils’ ineptitude in the central midfield area was on display in their Community Shield win over Leicester City, as Marouane Fellaini drew criticism for his poor performance and the ageing Michael Carrick looked past his best. The likes of Morgan Schneiderlin and Ander Herrera will be looking to compete for a spot next to Pogba, as the Frenchman is sure to walk straight into the first team.
The 23-year-old is one of the most highly rated young players in the world, and along with fellow new signings Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Eric Bailly and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the midfielder will be instrumental in United’s resurgence under new manager Jose Mourinho.
