An outspoken Portuguese coach and a flamboyant French midfielder appeared to be a match made in heaven, but they are now in danger of drifting apart
When Manchester United invested a then world record £89 million ($113m) transfer fee in Paul Pogba back in 2016, life in the Old Trafford garden was rosy.
Jose Mourinho had just taken the reins and the Portuguese was all sweetness and light as he welcomed a familiar face back to the Theatre of Dreams.
Fast forward two years and a match seemingly made in heaven is in danger of heading for divorce.
How did we get to this point? Goal takes a look at the timeline of a rocky relationship.
GettyAugust 2016 – Record-breaking arrival
Mourinho: “Paul is one of the best players in the world and will be a key part of the United team I want to build here for the future. He is young and will continue to improve; he has the chance to be at the heart of this club for the next decade and beyond.”
Pogba: “It has always been a club with a special place in my heart and I am really looking forward to working with Jose Mourinho. This is the right club for me to achieve everything I hope to in the game.”
AdvertisementGettyFebruary 2017 – Form under scrutiny
Mourinho: “I am pretty sure that next summer some players with only half his quality probably will cost the same money or more so I am waiting for that moment to release him from the scrutiny. I think in a couple of years you will realise he was cheap but I have to admit that not many clubs have this vision of anticipation of what can happen in the near future.”
Getty ImagesMarch 2017 – One of the best around
Mourinho: “Manchester United is very powerful, it doesn't need to be in the Champions League to attract the best players. Zlatan could still be in Paris. Mkhitaryan could be at Borussia Dortmund. Pogba could be at Juventus. We were able to attract the players because they know that Manchester United sooner or later will get there.”
Getty ImagesMay 2017 – Worth every penny
Mourinho: “I think the problem is the tag, the price tag on his back. I hope next summer he's not anymore the highest transfer fee and then the pressure goes to somebody else. If his transfer fee was half of it, everybody would say: 'What a buy, he's playing more than good.' But everybody expects performances according to that huge transfer fee and that brings pressure and that brings sometimes unfair analysis.”