• Premier League

Zidane: Pogba was natural Scholes heir

ESPN staff
January 13, 2014
Did Fergie make a mistake selling Pogba?

Zinedine Zidane has labelled Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to let Paul Pogba leave Old Trafford as one of the biggest mistakes of the Scot's career.

Pogba left Old Trafford in 2012 after a falling out with Ferguson, due largely to the Frenchman's request for more playing time and a £20,000-a-week contract.

The 20-year-old has impressed in Serie A since the switch and is enjoying an impressive campaign this season, and was named 'Golden Boy' as the best young player in Europe for December.

And Zidane believes Pogba is destined to become one of Europe's elite players and that he would have been an ideal long-term replacement for the retired Paul Scholes, and the solution for David Moyes' concerns with United's midfield.

"The word 'mistake' is not something you would normally associate with Alex Ferguson's time at Manchester United," Zidane told the Sunday Mirror.

"But I do think it was a mistake letting Paul Pogba leave.

"He will go on to be one of the best central midfield players in Europe and he was the natural successor to Paul Scholes, someone they could have built the team around."

Zidane, who now works as sporting director at Real Madrid, also hinted the Spanish giants are keeping tabs on the French international.

"He is with Juventus and doing very well but, as always, Real Madrid will be looking to add the best players in the world."

Pogba is enjoying a stellar campaign for Juventus © PA Photos
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