Man Utd come clean on talk Pogba was offered to Man City

A Manchester United source has reportedly insisted that Paul Pogba was never going to join Manchester City during the January transfer window.

United produced a superb comeback performance to beat Manchester City 3-2 on Saturday, with Pogba arguably producing his finest 45 minutes in a Red Devils shirt at The Etihad.

The France international scored twice, just 24 hours after Pep Guardiola had dropped a sensational bombshell.

The City chief, hitting back at comments made by Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola, said: “Two months ago he offered me Mkhitaryan and Pogba to play with us.

“Comparing [me to] a dog is bad – it’s not good. He has to respect the dogs.”

But a United source has now revealed the truth in a report in the Daily Express.

The report says that the Manchester Evening News were told that United were never going to let their record signing go.

Pogba has found himself linked with a move away from Old Trafford after a fallout with Jose Mourinho, which led to him being dropped for the side.

Real Madrid and Barcelona emerged as the frontrunners for his signature, while Italian giants Juventus were also said to want the midfielder to return to Turin.

But the MEN insists he was never in line to leave the club at the turn of the year – particularly to deadly rivals City.

 

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Mourinho, meanwhile, was full of praise for Pogba after his outstanding second-half display at The Etihad.

“I didn’t even speak with him about what Pep told and what Raiola told,” the 54-year-old said.

“I didn’t speak. I’m not interested in if it was Pep or Mino right, I’m not interested in that.

“I know that Paul played well against Swansea, I know he had a very good week of work, especially Tuesday and Wednesday, two fantastic training sessions and this game comes in that sequence.

“Of course, two goals for a midfield player in a big match like this one stays in the memory of the people, especially the fans.

“He needs that confidence because he knows, I know, he had some performances not at the level of expectation we have from Paul. But he’s improving.”