Paul Pogba could be out of action until the end of February as his Manchester United career threatens to fizzle out.
Pogba hasn’t played since the start of November after damaging a thigh muscle in training with France – missing the end of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s managerial reign, Michael Carrick’s caretaker stint and Ralf Rangnick’s arrival as interim boss.
Pogba returned to Manchester from a warm-weather rehab in Dubai last month following talks with Rangnick who reiterated Solskjaer’s prediction that the midfielder could play again in early January.
Paul Pogba could be ruled out until the end of February after another injury setback
However, the German coach has now revealed that it could be another four weeks before Pogba can resume full training and then another fortnight until he is match-fit.
‘A week ago I was told it would take another four or five weeks,’ said Rangnick. ‘I’ve seen him this morning before the training session but currently I don’t know how long it will take.
‘He’s not training with the team yet. As far as I know from the medical department, it will last another three weeks or four weeks, and once he is then fit for training it does not necessarily mean he is also match fit. It will probably take a couple of weeks before he is really able to compete for the first team.
The Frenchman’s Manchester United career is threatening to fizzle out due to a thigh problem
Ralf Rangnick has revealed it could be another month before Pogba can resume full training
‘It’s one thing to be training fit but, on the other hand, he needs to be fit for the match and competition in either the Premier League or the Champions League and this will still take some time.’
Rangnick has already stated that United players will rehab injuries at Carrington in future after he was surprised to arrive at the club and discover that Pogba was in Dubai.
Previously, the Frenchman fell out with Jose Mourinho after recovering from a hamstring injury in Miami.
Under Solskjaer, Pogba travelled to Dubai to recover from an ankle injury and then popped up in Miami where he posted a video of himself playing basketball with NBA star Jimmy Butler – followed by another of him dancing at his brother Florentin’s wedding in France.
The midfielder suffered a thigh muscle injury during a training session with France last month
The 27-year-old is into the final five months of his contract at United with no sign of him agreeing new terms.
His camp have denied speculation that he has been offered a new £500,000-a-week deal, and it now looks increasingly likely that he will leave Old Trafford for nothing for a second time at the end of the season with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid favourites to sign him.
That would be a disappointing end to Pogba’s time United after he returned to Old Trafford from Juventus in 2016 for a then world record fee of £89million.
