Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Calls on Paul Pogba to Assume Man Utd Leadership Role

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has called on star midfielder Paul Pogba to take on a leadership role at Old Trafford now that the Frenchman is back fit and ready to play after missing most of the 2019/20 through injury.

Even though he isn’t expected to start on Friday night when United visit Tottenham in their first game back following the three-month suspension of all English football, Pogba has been declared fit by his manager and will likely feature off the bench for his first action in six months.

Pogba has struggled with injuries all season / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

At 27, Pogba is among the senior players in the United dressing room. He has previously captained the side in the past and was also hailed for the leadership role he took on during France’s triumphant 2018 World Cup campaign.

Now that his troublesome foot and ankle injury is behind, Solskjaer wants the player to step up.

“Paul is one of the best midfielders in the world. He is a World Cup winner and we want to have that leadership on the pitch,” the United boss is quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

“Now that he is fit and training and available, I can see from his mentality and focus, that he is ready to play again. Whether that is for 45 minutes this time, or 60 I don’t know but gradually, over these next few months, we hope to work him back up to his best.”

Pogba has previously captained United / David Lidstrom/Getty Images

United fans are excited about the mouthwatering prospect of Pogba playing with January signing Bruno Fernandes for the first time and kicking off a potentially stunning partnership.

The early signs of that relationship appear to be good.

It was revealed earlier this month that the pair have been gelling well upon training together for the first time – five months after Fernandes’ initial arrival. They have very different personalities but there is said to be a shared ‘competitive streak’ that ‘makes them respect each other’.

Bruno Fernandes has lifted the whole United squad / Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Later speaking about the prospect of playing with Pogba, Fernandes told Mario Djuorvski during an Instagram Live chat: “I think Paul is one of the best players in Manchester and in the world.

“He was injured for a lot of time. The opportunity to play with him is fantastic because you want to play with the best players you can.”

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