Football
ESPN staff 7y

Jose Mourinho: Paul Pogba adjusting at Man United, could play centre-back

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed concerns that Paul Pogba is struggling to find a role in his tactical system and told Sky Sports he could be a "phenomenal central defender."

Pogba, who returned to United from Juventus for a world-record fee in the summer, has not produced his best form since his return and questions have been raised as to his role.

Mourinho has recently pushed Pogba into a No. 10 position and former United captain Gary Neville said after a poor showing in Sunday's 4-0 defeat at Chelsea that the France international appears "confused."

However, former Inter Milan boss Mourinho argued that Pogba was still adapting after four years in Serie A, saying: "He can play in so many positions. The problem is not the position. The problem is not the tactical system.

"The problem is, in my opinion, somebody that comes from a different style of football and needs this time to be at his best level in football that is really difficult to play, especially for midfield players."

He added: "I think it is really difficult to play or adapt from different realities, but he is a phenomenal player. He has unbelievable potential.

"He has years and years to develop his game, so that expectation and investment from the club is based on that -- a super player for the next seven or eight years."

He said Pogba would excel if moved back into the centre of defence.

"With the quality of his pass, with his aerial game, with his agility in such a big body, for his defensive side of the game, coming from the back with the ball, he would be a phenomenal central defender, too," he said.

Mourinho said Pogba, who excelled in Thursday's 4-1 win over Fenerbahce, is "getting better and better and better at every level" but added: "We don't expect Paul to arrive here and the next day to be unbelievable, but the other thing is that we trust him so much that we pass to him this kind of feeling.

"He is a very self-confident boy too, so we are living well with the critics, if you want, and we know what the critics are."

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