For so long, the writing has been on the wall for Manchester United and Paul Pogba that many fans may have deluded themselves into believing differently.
On January 20th, when Pogba hammered the ball into the corner at Fulham to lift United to the Premier League summit, it appeared as if he was content as if he would stay at Old Trafford for a long time.
Pogba's brilliant cameo at the San Siro on March 18th, when he grabbed the Europa League second leg against AC Milan by the bootstraps, elicited a similar reaction from United fans. It was there when Pogba and Edinson Cavani combined brilliantly in a thrilling 3-1 victory over Tottenham on April 11th.
Isn't it the case with Pogba and United all the time?
It comes and goes; his form, his future, and his connection to the club, with whom he has had a tumultuous relationship.
Pogba is a United academy graduate and the club's all-time leading scorer. He's a fixture at Old Trafford, but he's also a square peg in a round hole.
You instinctively know he belongs in the club, but it's a shaky and sensitive relationship. He might one day fly off into the sunset and file for divorce from the club.
This is exactly how United fans felt when they saw Pogba strut his stuff in France's penultimate friendly before the Euro 2020 campaign, in which the 28-year-old was magnificent in leading Les Bleus to a 3-0 victory against Bulgaria.
It'll be the sensation that comes to the fore if Pogba leads France to another big tournament victory this summer, as seems fairly certain.
Many people got the same feeling after hearing Pogba's latest comments concerning his future, when he was asked if he'd had any negotiations with United about a new contract.
"Everyone knows I have one year left on my contract," Pogba stated at a press conference in France. "No definite plans for expansion have been made. I've stayed in Manchester for the time being.
"I didn't sit down with the managers and coach after the season because I was on vacation. I'm concentrating on the Euro.”
Many United supporters were disappointed by the response. They are aware of Pogba's enormous talent and feel he can lead Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side to the Premier League title next season.
Pogba has hinted that he may stay in Manchester for another 12 months. However, the club's chances of persuading him to sign a contract extension appear to be slim to none. And not selling up this summer and losing him on a free agent in 2022 is a risk.
Pogba's view on the matter should come as no surprise. He's always wanted to play for Real Madrid, but the pull of playing for his local team, Paris Saint-Germain, where his idol Zinedine Zidane could manage at some point in the near future, is powerful.
Then there's the Mino Raiola aspect, with the infamous'super agent' always eager to engineer a move for his clients if it means accumulating more zeros in his bank account.
In a December interview with Italian journal Tuttosport, Raiola remarked, "I can say that Paul Pogba's time at Manchester United is gone."
"It's pointless to try to get around it. Paul at Manchester United is unhappy, and he is no longer able to express himself as he would like or as is expected of him. It is better to speak plainly, look ahead, and not waste time hunting for culprits."
Raiola eventually backtracked on those remarks, insisting that he would not speak publicly about Pogba — after speaking publicly about Pogba quite a bit, naturally — but the dye is cast. Both Pogba and his agency have made it obvious to United that they want to leave.
There will be an exit. It may not happen this summer, and Pogba may not be as unhappy at Old Trafford as Raiola said, but it will happen eventually. Summer 2022 may be the most likely date.
As a result, Solskjaer and his team must lay out a plan for his departure. It remains to be seen how much of it involves last summer's signing Donny van de Beek, and how much they regard someone like Jack Grealish as part of the backup plan.
Pogba had the option to leave United in the summer of 2019. If it hadn't been for covid-19 and the player's injury problems, he might have gone in 2020.
United has had plenty of time to prepare for such a scenario. The writing has been on the wall for a long time.
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