The absent Red Devils star is likely to be out long term after being told to have an operation by his entourage
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer isn’t sure how long Paul Pogba will be absent, but revealed the midfielder is set to have an ankle operation after being advised by ‘his people’.
The France international was again missing from the squad as the Red Devils went down 2-0 to Arsenal in a lacklustre performance at the Emirates on New Year’s Day.
When asked to estimate Pogba’s return date from injury, Solskjaer was vague but pointedly let slip that the player’s advisors had made the decision to have surgery on the troublesome ankle.
“Three or four weeks maybe, I don’t know,” Solskjaer said to MOTD post-match.
“He’s been advised to have an operation by his people and he’ll probably do that”
The Norweigan coach continued in his press conference: “We’ve had scans and it’s nothing major, it’s something that needs to be looked and sorted as soon as possible.
“We’ve had consultants and the club have looked at him too and that’s what we’ve been advised.”
Pogba has made only made eight appearances for United in all competitions this season and this is his second aborted comeback from the ankle injury he suffered following the match against Southampton on August 30.
The World Cup winner recently returned to the Red Devils first-team squad – coming off the bench against Watford and Newcastle United in the two league matches before Christmas – but has been absent from subsequent matches at Burnley and Arsenal.
Pogba, who has been consistently linked with a move away from Old Trafford over the past 12 months, posted a cryptic story on Instagram in the hours before the Gunners game, with the caption, ‘best way to start 2020’ accompanied by a video inside a luxury car.
His agent Mino Raiola fired a broadside at Manchester United on New Year’s Eve, insisting he won’t send players to sign for the club in its current state, saying “they would ruin even [Diego] Maradona, Pele and [Paolo] Maldini”.
Despite the defeat to Arsenal, Manchester United remain in fifth position and are five points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea.
Their next match will be a tough FA Cup third round tie at Wolves on January 4 before they host the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester City three days later.
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