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Ian Wright questions if Jose Mourinho is the right manager for Paul Pogba

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Ian Wright questions whether Jose Mourinho is the right manager for Paul Pogba

After two seasons at Manchester United, Ian Wright has questioned whether Jose Mourinho is the right manager to get the best out of Paul Pogba.

The Frenchman arrived back at Old Trafford in the summer of 2016, but has failed to hit the same heights he achieved at Juventus that convinced Mourinho and the United hierarchy to part with a then-world record fee of £89.3m.

Recent media reports have suggested that the Portuguese manager is willing to let Pogba be sold, and when asked on The Debate if Mourinho was the right man to get the best from the midfielder, Wright said: "Up to this point, you can't say that he is.

"It's interesting to see how it is going to pan out for him. Personally, I would push him further up the pitch simply because he has the capability to make things happen there rather than at the back, then maybe spraying it sideways.

Redknapp says Jose Mourinho has a duty to get the best out of Pogba
Image: Jose Mourinho brought Paul Pogba to Old Trafford in the summer of 2016

"You've got to get him into the areas where he can then activate people like Alexis Sanchez, Jesse Lingard, Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford so he can get them going and spring moves off of them.

"No one can tell me, with the offensive and midfielder players that Man Utd have got, that they should not be closer [to Man City] now. I think Man City have caught them and they've got caught in the blocks.

"We're coming towards the end of the season and Pogba still hasn't found his feet properly, we haven't seen that dominant performance out of them yet, but I think Man Utd have got a large nucleus of exactly what they need to challenge, I just think it's the way they play.

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"I do love Jose, but I do feel like the players don't feel free to go and dominate teams with the forwards they could put on a pitch. I don't see them playing enough on a regular basis where they frighten teams to death."

Stuart Pearce also had his say on Pogba's struggles at United, but does not believe the midfielder will leave Old Trafford as he is still a top talent.

"I don't think they'd sell him because he is such a big talent and it is so rare to find these world-class players of Pogba's standing. I still think there is better to come from him as he matures," he added.

Paul Pogba leaves the pitch after the 1-0 home defeat to West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford on April 15, 2018
Image: Paul Pogba has not showed the same form that he did at Juventus

"He is still relatively young although he has great experience and it is about identifying that best position for him. I think he should be galloping forward, getting into the box and setting himself a target of 15 goals per season.

"Man Utd will know him better than any of us do, and in the main, you want talent to stay at your club. I can't see them putting him up for sale, because if you put him up for sale and he stays in this country, he's lining up against you next Saturday and you don't want that."

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