Manchester United once had a Zinedine Zidane-esque midfielder, who legendary Red Devils midfielder Paul Scholes compared to Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard.
Man Utd looking to sign new midfielder in January
After missing out on a new central midfielder during the 2025 summer transfer window, Man United have set their sights on signing one in January, and a number of potential targets have already been identified.
There are clear indications that Ruben Amorim needs to bolster his options in the engine room, with Scholes suggesting Bruno Fernandes isn't cut out to be a central midfielder, while also singling Casemiro out for criticism.
The 50-year-old said*: "Fernandes [and Casemiro], they’re the two he’s [Amorim] going with, and Fernandes for me, he’s someone who fills in as a midfielder, he might get away with it for one, two or three games. He’s not got the discipline to be a central midfield player.”*
"Bringing two No.10s (Cunha and Mbeumo) was that really necessary? You think you’ve got Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo can do that."
Having arguably gotten their priorities wrong in the summer, United look poised to make a move for a new central midfielder this winter, and they will be hoping the new signing can eclipse Paul Pogba's achievements, with the Frenchman leaving on a free back in 2022.
Pogba's career at United didn't pan out the way anyone was hoping, but he received extremely high praise not long after returning to Old Trafford, with Gianluigi Buffon saying:
"His control of the ball and the way he can swiftly change the play from defence to attack is special - and for us it hurts to lose him."
"It's not easy to compare him to greats of the past but he has many details of the games of both Platini and Zidane."
AS Monaco new signing Paul Pogba poses with his shirt during the unveiling
Scholes was also a keen admirer of the central midfielder, saying:
"He can do everything as a midfield player and you’d probably liken him to Steven Gerrard with the pace, the power, the skill."
Pogba had the talent to be an all-time great
The 32-year-old's time at Old Trafford was by no means a complete failure, having won two EFL Cups and the 2016-17 Europa League, but there is no doubt that the midfielder didn't manage to hit the heights expected of him.
Given how highly the 91-time France international was rated by Scholes and Buffon, he had the ability to become an all-time great for Man United, but things didn't work out that way, arguably due to his attitude, which Graeme Souness regularly criticised.
Souness said: "Paul Pogba plays for himself, it's all about how cool he looks, showing us how clever he is. I reckon Pogba's only in the team to maintain his transfer value until United can sell him, because he doesn't merit his place for any other reason."
With Pogba's doping ban over, the former United man arguably has one last chance to get his career back on track, having now signed for AS Monaco on a two-year deal.