• Premier League

Moyes scouts Griezmann and Pogba

ESPN staff
March 6, 2014
Moyes scouts Pogba and Griezmann

David Moyes watched Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba in France's 2-0 friendly win against the Netherlands in Paris on Wednesday as he considers how to rebuild his Manchester United squad.

Moyes scouting trip led him to see goals from Karim Benzema and Blaise Matuidi secure victory for at the Stade de France.

But of greater interest was the performance of Real Sociedad forward Griezmann, winning his first cap for France, and former United midfielder Pogba, who has been watched before by Moyes for Juventus. United forward Robin van Persie, who had been a doubt with illness, started for the Netherlands.

Griezmann, who faced United in the group stages of the Champions League this season, has scored 19 goals in all competitions for Sociedad this term.

And United scout David Friio has tipped the 22-year-old to succeed at the World Cup in Brazil this summer.

He told L'Equipe: "Greizmann would clearly bring something. His versatility and technique, in a tournament where the gaps are reduced, are real assets. You can't score 15 goals in a great league [La Liga] without having real qualities."

Porto's highly-rated centre-back Eliaquim Mangala, another player who has been linked with a move to United, completed the full game in Paris. He was the subject of a bid from Manchester City at the end of the January transfer window, but Porto are thought to want around £35 million for their player.

Moyes, who watched Freiburg's Matthias Ginter on Friday, is likely to want another central defender next season, with Nemanja Vidic certain to move to Inter Milan in the summer, while Rio Ferdinand is also likely to leave Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has also confirmed he is keeping tabs on Griezmann, telling Telefoot: "We follow him in great detail. He attracts other clubs as well. But we follow him, he is a known commodity."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
ESPN staff Close