Gary Neville: 'Paul Pogba future always pointing away from Manchester'

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has claimed that Paul Pogba's future was "always pointing away" from Old Trafford amid repeated speculation regarding the midfielder's next career move.

Having struggled with injuries for a large part of the 2019-20 campaign, Pogba has only managed seven Premier League appearances this term and has been persistently linked with a move elsewhere.

However, a big-money transfer for the France international will likely not be feasible amid the coronavirus pandemic, and Neville thinks that United will struggle to find a buyer for their record signing in the current climate.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Neville said: "I think the direction all season of Pogba's career was always pointing away from Manchester in the sense that there was so much speculation, his agent was coming out all the time. I just wonder now what's happened, obviously with coronavirus and the economic reset in football.

"Which clubs are really going to be able to buy Paul Pogba for the reputed £80-100m that was being talked about? Which clubs are going to pay the huge wages Paul Pogba's on at Manchester United?

"I'm not diminishing him as a player, I'm talking about the whole economic situation the whole world finds itself in."

Real Madrid and Juventus are the sides that have been most strongly linked with a swoop for Pogba, who is out of contract at Old Trafford next summer.