Ben Guest
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has lept to the defence of Paul Pogba, but has insisted the club haven’t received a single bid for any of their players.
Manchester United have dominated the column inches in the newspapers this summer, with talks of a massive summer overhaul currently amounting to two arrivals and no departures.
There has been plenty of talk about the respective futures of Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez and more, as well a whole host of players being linked as potential signings.
Pogba has been linked to the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus, and PSG, while Lukaku is reportedly wanted by Inter Milan, but speaking from the legendary cricket ground, the WACA, in Perth, where United have been based for the first part of their pre-season tour, Solskjaer insisted that the club hasn’t received any bids, and that they aren’t under any pressure to sell.
“It’s been a long summer, hasn’t it?” Solskjaer said at the at a press conference. “There’s been loads of talks and speculation about many of our players, both ins and outs.
“But for me it’s business as usual. When you’re at Man United you expect all these things to pop in the summer. I’ve spoken to Paul, I’ve spoken to Rom, Rashy, Jesse, I’ve spoken to all of the players, more or less, over the summer, you keep in touch with them, as far as I’m aware up until now, we don’t have any bids for our players, so there’s no reason to say most of our players have long contracts, we’re Man United, we don’t have to sell players.
Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, has been his usual vocal self, saying that his client is keen to move, but Solskjaer said that the World Cup winner is being a professional, saying there is an agenda against the 26-year-old.
“What I have to say about Paul, for example, it looks like it’s gonna be a media, I don’t wanna call it… but it’s an agenda against Paul. He’s a top, top bloke. He’s a great, great professional, he’s never been any problems, he’s got a heart of gold.
“And, for example, Jesse and Paul yesterday walking around and it’s portrayed as a fight between the two boys and I know you’re here to sell players and sell stories, but there’s no problems between the boys at all, they’re all professional, pre-season has been very good so far.
“I’m here to talk about the whole team, pre-season and the season coming, Paul’s never put himself out of the team, he’s always wanted to play, he’s given his best and I can’t report anything.
“Agents talk all of the time and, as I said, we’ve not had any bids, from any clubs, that’s all I can say about this matter.
“Paul’s never been a concern for me, when he’s on the pitch, he’s working hard, he’s a true professional, he’s a proud boy. Same answer again, I can’t be sitting here talking about Paul and what agents are saying. We’ve got a few years left of his contract and he’s been fantastic since he’s come back for training.”
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