Paul Scholes claims role in Paul Pogba’s 2012 Manchester United departure

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has claimed he was ‘half the reason’ Paul Pogba left the club for Juventus in 2012. Speaking on ‘The Good, The Bad and The Football’ podcast, Scholes suggested his decision to return from retirement impacted the young Frenchman’s progression.

Scholes explained that when he returned to the squad in 2012, Pogba, who was then emerging through the academy, likely expected more first-team opportunities. Scholes noted that he was training against Pogba daily, which may have contributed to the player's frustration regarding playing time. Scholes stated, “I was training against him every day, and he thought he should have been playing... So I’m partly responsible!”

Pogba originally joined United’s youth side in 2009 and made his senior debut in 2011. Following his departure to Juventus on a free transfer, he eventually returned to Manchester United in 2016 for a then-record fee of £89 million. After a second spell at the club, Pogba most recently played for AS Monaco before becoming a free agent following a doping suspension.