Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has backed Paul Pogba to enjoy a growing influence at the club in the coming years.
Pogba came through the ranks at Old Trafford but left to join Juventus before returning four years later as the world's most expensive player and with plenty of first-team experience under his belt.
United sold club captain Wayne Rooney back to Everton earlier this summer and, while Michael Carrick has taken over the armband from the club's record goalscorer, Mourinho hinted that he sees Pogba as a future skipper for the Red Devils.
"Wayne was a very positive influence. We cannot say we are going to improve the group because Wayne left. No way, or the other way around. He was such an important guy and good guy for us, I just think it is a new period without that face, without that leaders, without that good influence on us. And now it is time for other people to come up and knowing that probably it is Michael Carrick's last year, the people that is behind have to prepare themselves for that," he told PA.
"And the best way to prepare themselves for that is to be already burning in terms of that good positive influence and leadership. I would say [Pogba is] the leader of the young guys. He is probably the oldest of the young guys. He's for sure the one with more experience because he's the one that played Champions League final, Euro final, Europa League final.
"He has big experience at such a young age, at the same time he's still the kid that come from the academy - the way he is in the club, the way he is in the group, in the training ground, his relation with the people is still the relation that Marcus Rashford has, Jesse Lingard has, all these kids they have.
"He is still the kid from the academy but with his experience, with his status and with his quality on the pitch, where he is also a key player for us, I think Paul has (the) conditions to be in a couple of years such an important guy in the club, really."
Pogba made 51 appearances across all competitions for United last season.
Barney Corkhill
