The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and Opinions5. Paul Pogba
After being released by Manchester United as a teenager, Paul Pogba’s career appeared to have taken a turn for the worst. The bitterness between both the club and Pogba has been well publicised in recent years, with the young Frenchman remaining hurt and angry at the way his career at Old Trafford came to an end.
However, his move from Manchester United to Juventus has actually appeared to be a blessing in disguise, with the talented midfielder making a name for himself in Italy and across Europe. He has risen to become one of the biggest prospects of world football, possessing great technical ability, vision, shooting accuracy and power, in a playing style reminiscent of the great Clarence Seedorf.
His rise from rags to riches is best seen through the amount of top European Clubs willing to fork out between £50 million and £70 million to acquire his services, with former club United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich all rumoured to be interested in the 22 year old. With a Champions League final fast approaching, Paul Pogba will be eager to ensure that it is he, and not Manchester United, who has the last laugh.
Paul Pogba undoubtedly has sky-high potential, and is likely to evolve into one of the greatest midfielder’s of his generation. However, his playing style is completely different to both Messi and Ronaldo, and in an era where Ballon D’ors are generally awarded due to goals scored and assists created, Pogba may find it incredibly difficult to be regarded as the greatest all-round player of his generation.
Additionally, when one considers the level Messi and Ronaldo were performing at when they were 21-22 years old, it appears Pogba has a long way to go if he is to ever reach their levels. Nonetheless, he remains an exceptionally talented player with lots of potential, and if injuries can be kept at a bare minimum, there is no reason why Pogba cannot one day be regarded as one of the great midfield players of his generation.
Likelihood of reaching level: 3/ 10
