Manchester United superstar Paul Pogba rejects Manchester City offer amidst fears of a fan backlash
According to The Times (Subscription Required), Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has rejected the idea of joining Manchester City amidst concerns over a potential backlash from the Red Devils fans.
The France international is on his way out of the club this summer and a surprise bid from local rivals City appears to be on the table. While the offer does appear to have its merits, the player will not be entertaining the idea of moving to The Etihad.
Man United are set to embark on a new project under incoming manager Erik ten Hag this summer. Wholesale changes could take place at Old Trafford and Pogba appears to be one of the players on his way out.
Joining a direct rival is close as one gets to be called a Quisling in modern football and Pogba does not appear to be keen to go down that path. But there have been quite a few examples when players have made a bold move to join their local rivals.
Carlos Tevez, Luis Figo, and Ronaldo Nazário are classic examples of players who made a bold move and faced massive wrath from their previous club’s fans. Peter Schmeichel too had his own share of detractors despite his standing as a Man United legend.
It is good to see that the 29-year-old is not tone-deaf and is aware of the vendetta fans hold against players they deem traitors. Pogba may have failed to make the best decisions on the field for Man United but his decision to snub Man City is certainly the right one.
Although Pogba was presented with an offer from the Sky Blues and him almost agreeing on personal terms with the club, the player eventually factored in the sentiments of the fans of the Red Devils.
A Wise Decision?
Indeed, it is a wise call made by the player. After all, you do not want the same fans who cheer you today to turn upon you and spit your name out with venom. Football fans are a tribalistic lot and such slights are never forgotten.
The midfielder has had a rather average season with the team and saw it end prematurely thanks to injury. Pogba has also received an offer from his previous club, Juventus but the midfielder is seeking higher wages.
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In any case, he could join any club but surely joining City would trigger many Man United fans and a derby match will cause havoc on his part next season. It remains to be seen which club he will play for next summer, but it appears as though he will not play on the other side of Manchester.
