Manchester United announced Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard will leave Old Trafford at the end of June when their deals run out. Edinson Cavani, Phil Jones, Juan Mata, and Nemanja Matic are also expected to follow them through the exit door as free agents.
Pogba rejoined Man. United in 2016 and had a promising start to his second stint at the club. He made a total of 226 appearances in United’s shirt over the past six seasons, winning the Europa League and the League Cup with United. Pogba, 29, was sidelined with injuries throughout the season, making his last appearance for the Red Devils in the 4-0 defeat by Liverpool on April 19.
Pogba first moved to United from Le Havre at age 16, making his way into the first team after starting in the academy. He left in 2012 as a free agent to join Italian giants Juventus. Four years later, United paid a then-record transfer fee of $116 million to have him back.
Pogba is a world champion at the international level with France in 2018.
“For a boy that joined the academy at 16 to make over 200 United appearances and lift the Youth Cup, along with two major pieces of silverware — not to mention the World Cup at [the] international level — is something that should be applauded and celebrated,” United said in a statement. “Everyone at the club would like to congratulate Paul on his successful career,” the club added.
On the same day, United also bid farewell to another academy graduate. Jesse Lingard, who joined as a nine-year-old in 2001, will be allowed to move on after not being offered a new contract.
“We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Jesse for all of the memories he’s helped create during his two decades here and wish him the best of luck in his future career,” United wrote on its website.
It was all a dream…
⤠@JesseLingard#MUFC pic.twitter.com/WVw21VuXUO
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 1, 2022
Juventus leads race to sign Pogba
After his departure from United was confirmed, odds have been slashed for Juventus to become Pogba’s next destination. The Frenchman is now at -450 to head back to Turin, with Paris Saint-Germain, who were interested in landing him last summer, now at +200. All other options are considered marginal, in the bookies’ views. Real Madrid is at +1200, Barcelona at +2500, with a shock transfer to Man. United’s rivals City, also at +2500. Newcastle, which is looking to rebuild its squad, is at +3300 to sign Pogba, the same as Inter, while Liverpool is at +6600.
Lingard is also favoring a return. In his case, we’re talking about West Ham United, where he had a successful loan in the 2020-21 campaign. WHU is at +125 to sign Lingard, with Newcastle behind in the odds race at +225. Spanish side Sevilla follows at +670, with the new Italian champions AC Milan at +850. Inter and Dortmund sit at +900, with Tottenham at +1000.
