Date: 9th August 2016 at 4:03pm
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FINALLY! Paul Pogba is, once again, a Manchester United player after months of speculation this summer.

The Premier League club re-signed the France international in a world-record £89m deal in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Upon his return to England, SHOOT takes a closer look at Pogba…

Photo: Offside / IPP

Pogba is back at Old Trafford – Photo: Offside / IPP.

Where did it all start for the Red Devils’ new addition?

Pogba was born in Lagny-sur-Marne, France, to Guinean parents. The attacking midfielder has two older twin brothers, who also play professional football – defender Florentin at Ligue 1 outfit Saint-Etienne and forward Mathias who features for Partick Thistle in Scotland.

Younger sibling Paul began his football career at the age of six, starring for US Roissy-en-Brie, before joining US Torcy after seven successful seasons.

His debut at his new club could not have gone better. After being appointed captain of the under-13 side, Pogba was snapped up by professional side Le Havre – a club renowned for their youth academy having nurtured the likes of Lassana Diarra, Steve Mandanda, Dimitri Payet and Riyad Mahrez.

A rapid rise with Le Havre, where he soon represented his country at youth level, attracted interest from the likes of Premier League outfit Arsenal and Serie A giants Juventus.

However, the Gunners eventually missed out to a English top-flight rival.

United capture Pogba – Chapter 1:

On July 31, 2009; Pogba announced he was leaving the French outfit for 13-time Premier League champions Manchester United, although the transfer did not go unnoticed or without controversy.

Le Havre claimed they had a “non-solicitation agreement” with the midfielder until the end of the 2009-10 campaign, stating they were allowed to sign Pogba on a youth contract once the player met the specific age and scholarship requirements.

Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

The France midfielder made just seven first-team appearances for United before joining Juventus – Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

The player’s move to Old Trafford was finally completed on October 7, 2009, after FIFA cleared United for any wrongdoing. Pogba would go on to make his first-team debut in September 2011, coming on as a half-time substitute in the 3-0 victory over Leeds United in the League Cup.

His Premier League bow came against Stoke City on January 31, 2012, replacing Javier Hernandez with less than 20 minutes remaining. Another three substitute appearances until the end of the 2011-12 season; against West Brom, Athletic Bilbao and Wolves respectively, were to be his last in a Reds shirt, as Pogba’s future at Old Trafford took an unexpected turn the following summer.

What happened next?

In early July, then Red Devils manager Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed the midfielder had left the Premier League giants for Serie A outfit Juventus – in a deal worth a reported £1.5m.

After breaking into United’s first-team frame under the legendary Scot and seemingly being tipped for stardom in Manchester, Pogba rejected a new deal and joined Juve – a move, that undoubtedly, profited his personal development handsomely.

After seven first-team appearances for the Red Devils in four years; the highly-rated Frenchman soon become an instant fans favourite in Turin and the first name on the teamsheet, eventually going on to net 34 times and provide 43 assists in 178 appearances for the Italian club.

His significant contribution helped Juve claim four successive Serie A titles during his spell in Italy, whilst he also got his hands on the Coppa Italia twice and the Supercoppa Italiana on a couple of occasions too. Juventus also reached the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2015, but Pogba was on the losing side as FC Barcelona claimed the European title in Berlin.

Photo: Offside / IPP

He won four successive Serie A titles with Juve – Photo: Offside / IPP.

Last season:

Heading into the 2015/16 campaign, Pogba was handed the prestigious number 10 shirt at Juve following the departure of striker Carlos Tevez. The midfielder joined the likes of Michel Platini, Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Del Piero in pulling on the infamous shirt number.

On October 31, 2015; Pogba starred in his 100th Serie A appearance, netting the opening goal in Juventus’ 2-1 victory over Torino in the Turin derby.

Following a nomination into UEFA’s 2015 Team of the Year and an entry into the 2015 FIFA FIFPro World XI, the former Le Havre youth starlet produced his best-ever goalscoring and assist statistics under manager Massimiliano Allegri – netting a joint-best eight goals in the league, whilst finishing alongside AS Roma’s Miralem Pjanic’s as the division’s top assist provider with 12.

Why have Manchester United re-signed Pogba?

Jose Mourinho’s pulling power, perhaps?

The ‘Special One’ succeeded Louis van Gaal inside The Theatre of Dreams after a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Premier League last term, despite the Dutchman leading his former side to FA Cup glory back in May.

The France international; who starred for his country as Didier Deschamps’ side reached the Euro 2016 final earlier this summer, before losing out to Portugal, has been heavily linked with a return to Old Trafford since Mourinho’s appointment at the Red Devils back in late-May.

Photo: Mark Leech

Pogba starred for France at Euro 2016 this summer – Photo: Mark Leech / Offside.

After months and months of speculation; Pogba finally sealed his world-record £89m transfer back to United in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with English rapper Stormzy producing a music-style video confirming the midfielder’s move with ‘Pogba’ on the back of his Red Devils away kit.

Strip away the pricetag; United have certainly signed a world-class enforcer, something the club has arguably been lacking since the retirement of Sir Alex Fergsuon three years ago.

Mourinho has already started to solve that problem by bringing in the likes of Paris Saint-Germain forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Borussia Dortmund star Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Old Trafford this summer, but Pogba’s arrival is on a whole new level.

The majority of fans were disgruntled when he first left the club over four years ago, having seen only glimpses of his world-class raw talent.

Equipped with strength, a sharp eye for goal, speed, grit, determination and everything needed to help turn Manchester United back into Premier League title contenders following miserable campaigns spent under David Moyes and Van Gaal, the ‘Special One’ has brought back ‘The One That Got Away’, and boy are supporters relishing seeing Pogba back in the red shirt of Manchester.

And they may not have long to wait, as Mourinho’s men kick-off their Premier League season away to AFC Bournemouth on Sunday, having won their 21st Community Shield on Sunday.

 
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One response to “Profile: Manchester United’s world-record £89m addition, Paul Pogba”

  1. Allan Lutalo says:

    Comment I Think For The First Time Since The Departure Of Sir Alex Furgasson, United Means Serious Business! The Signings They Have Made So Far, Dont Forget The Super Talents Of Martial, Marcus And Mensah ( Tripple M) Luke Shaw And With Time Jackson And Perreira, The Aquisition Of A Super Winning Manager, This Clearly Shows They Are Hungry For Trophys Once Again! ALLAN LUTALO-KAMPALA