Graeme Souness has launched another attack on Paul Pogba, claiming he is “missing something upstairs” and not worth bringing back to the Premier League.
Pogba last week saw his four-year ban for doping reduced to 18 months on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, meaning he can play again in March.
It has been reported his current deal at Juventus will be ripped up, enabling both parties to make a fresh start.
The 31-year-old has been linked with a move back to England, where he has had two spells with Manchester United. But Souness, who has had regular pops at Pogba throughout his career, remains a critic of the former France midfielder.
📰 Table Of Contents
“A wasted talent”
Speaking on William Hill’s Three Up Front podcast alongside Simon Jordan and Troy Deeney, Souness said: “If I was a Premier League manager, there are no circumstances under which I would take a punt on bringing in Paul Pogba. He’s only played 39 games since the 2021/22 season.
“He is extremely talented, but he’s a wasted talent. The worst thing that happened to him was winning the World Cup because from that point on he just sat in his armchair.
“When José Mourinho was at Manchester United, he called Pogba a virus. He’s a lazy player, but midfield is a position that you have to take personally.
“It’s the only position on the pitch where you’re directly up against someone who’s trying to do the same job as you. I always wanted to have a better day than whoever I was up against, and the only thing I was taught to do was work harder than my opponent. Pogba just goes out to play and show off to everyone how cute and clever he is, rather than trying to make his opponent have a miserable day. He’s got all the ability and athleticism you need; he’s just missing something upstairs.”
— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) October 4, 2024
Souness, who was a fearsome midfielder for Liverpool before turning to punditry, has previously labelled Pogba a “pudding”, a “divisive character” and “an absolute doddle to play against”.
Deeney questions Pogba’s ego
Deeney, who faced Pogba during his time at Watford, also felt Pogba’s attitude would hold him back as he tries to rebuild his career.
He said: “I still think Paul Pogba is talented enough. But is he still attractive from a business perspective? I played against him four or five times and it was like football was too easy for him. He didn’t have to try. That really infuriated me, and it infuriates me in people in general, but he’s so talented. He’s 6ft 4in, he can move, he can do everything.
“I hope he can get back to playing. I’d question his ego as to where he ends up playing, because I’m not sure his ego will allow him to drop to a lower Premier League team, like Leicester for example.”
