Paul Pogba has been one of the most discussed Manchester United players of the 2019/20 season despite missing the most part of it due to his ankle injury.
The long-term absence, the transfer links with Real Madrid and his former side Juventus, as well as the doubts over his commitment to the Red Devils were at the center of the attention for months. Moreover, the Premier League suspension caused by the coronavirus outbreak and the claims of Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, lead to the talks that the player will probably say goodbye to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side this summer, without even playing a single game before his departure.
But things have changed, with Pogba returning to his form and building an impressive partnership with United’s newcomer, Bruno Fernandes. It seems that the Frenchman feels “happy” again at Old Trafford, and the Red Devils will be hoping to sign a new contract with the midfielder.
However, let’s imagine that United fail to keep the 27-year-old, which players could fill the gap of the talented midfielder at Old Trafford?
Let’s take a look at 5 possible replacements for Paul Pogba.
Marco Verratti
Verratti has been previously linked with the Red Devils at the coaching times of both managers, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The deal didn’t materialise, however, the Italy international still remains one of the possible candidates to join the Premier League side due to his skills.
Despite providing just 6 assists throughout the season, PSG man plays an important role at the squad. He’s a central midfielder, capable of playing in defence and creating attacking moments for the team. His fighting spirit matches with Solskjaer’s philosophy and could be a key factor in his success at United. Going further to statistics, let’s say that during the 2019/20 campaign, the 27-year-old has recorded 95.2%
pass accuracy, having a better result than Pogba (85.5%). He is also good at tackling and could build a strong partnership with Bruno Fernandes and Nemanja Matic.
Denis Zakaria
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Zakaria’s physical attributes and playing style make him very similar to Pogba. Though the Swiss player is younger and has all chances to improve his skills even further.
Once being a striker and now playing in central and back positions, the 23-year-old could be a “dream signing” of any team. His universal abilities could add depth to the United squad both in midfield and defence, with the player creating a strong bond between the two positions and leading the game up to the front.
During the 2019/20 campaign, Zakaria has recorded 2 goals and 2 assists for his side, Borussia
Mönchengladbach, while he already managed to attract a number of clubs, including the Red Devils, Tottenham, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Inter.
Fabian Ruiz
Image Source: FC Barcelona Noticias
Another option to improve the squad is Napoli’s Fabian Ruiz, who is capable of taking the central midfield into his control.
The 24-year-old can also play at the left midfield, as well as go forward to the front, making some impressive long-distance shots. The proof of his attacking potential are 4 goals and 6 assists he recorded for the Serie A side during the 2019/20 campaign. Meanwhile, he has
registered 2.2 shots per game compared to Pogba’s 1.4.
Ruiz is fast, quick, and good at dribbling. Moreover, his pass
success percentage has been at a high level this term (90.7%). These results show how the midfielder could fit Solskjaer’s tactics at Old Trafford.
Eduardo Camavinga
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The 17-year-old wonderkid can grow up as a new Paul Pogba with the Red Devils, in case of making a move to Old Trafford.
Despite his young age, Camavinga has already impressed the world and established himself as a key player with the French side Stade Rennais. In the 2019/20 campaign, the young midfielder has made 36 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal and assisting twice for the team. He is also good at the back and could play as a defensive midfielder, while the passing accuracy and dribbling techniques are similar to the ones of Pogba.
Due to his promising talent and skills, the Frenchman has been eyed by La Liga giants Real Madrid and was included in our top 5 as a perfect replacement to Pogba.
Saul Niguez
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Saul is a talented player, capable of filling the centre and both left and right positions of the midfield. The 24-year-old has recorded 7 goals during the 2019/20 campaign, though his skills could help him improve the defence as well, as he has registered 2.7 tackles this season, higher than Pogba (1.3).
Saul’s flexibility could help him to adapt to United’s playing style.
He could play an important role in Solskjaer’s squad, with the Spanish international building a partnership with Fred, Scott McTominay, or Nemanja Matic in central midfield, while in this case Fernandes will be given a more attacking midfield role at the team.
