"Wouldn’t surprise me" - Jason Cundy claims Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte may make a move for Manchester United star
Former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy believes Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte could be monitoring Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba's situation.
Pogba is set to become a free agent at the end of the ongoing season with his contract expiring. As things stand, he looks unlikely to extend his deal at Old Trafford. The Frenchman has been linked (as per ESPN) with some top teams in Europe, including Juventus, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
Cundy, while discussing Pogba's situation at Manchester United on talkSPORT, spoke about the 29-year-old's potential future destinations. He said (as quoted by The Boot Room):
“He can’t get into those top teams (Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea). I’ve not seen enough, but that doesn’t mean to say that he can’t improve some teams. There’s a couple of Premier League clubs that we believe are interested and it wouldn’t surprise me if [Antonio] Conte’s looking at that situation.”
Tottenham could certainly do with a deep-lying playmaker of Pogba's ilk. Their current defensive midfield options, particularly Harry Winks and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, haven't been consistent this season. Rodrigo Bentancur, who arrived from Juventus in January, still seems to be settling in.
Spurs have also allowed Tanguy Ndombele to return to Olympique Lyonnais on loan for the rest of the season with an option to buy. It remains to be seen if Conte will want him back at the end of the campaign.
"Wonder if he's been let down" - Jason Cundy on Paul Pogba's time at Manchester United
On the same talkSPORT panel, Cundy also wondered if Pogba may have been a better player for Manchester United under a better coach. The midfielder is currently playing under his fourth manager at Old Trafford since joining the club in 2016.
Cundy said:
“I just wonder whether he’s been let down, if he’s been mismanaged, or mis-coached. I just wonder, under a better manager, could we have potentially seen a better Pogba? I think the managerial situation [has affected him].”
The Englishman also believes someone like Jurgen Klopp could have improved Pogba's game. He said:
“Under Klopp, he wouldn’t [hold the ball], look at what Klopp has done for [Jordan] Henderson. Henderson has turned out to be one of the most consistent, solid midfielders in the Premier League, and Klopp has got that out of him.”
After a bright start to the ongoing season, which saw him record seven assists in his first four matches, Pogba's numbers have dropped off quite steeply. He has played 23 times across all competitions this term for Manchester United, scoring once and registering nine assists.