United confirm Pogba exit with Frenchman available on a free

Manchester United have confirmed that midfielder Paul Pogba will leave the club when his contract ends later this month.

An official statement said: "The club can announce that Paul Pogba will leave Manchester United at the end of June, upon the expiry of his contract.

"Everyone at the club would like to congratulate Paul on his successful career and thank him for his contributions to Manchester United. 

"We wish him all the best for the next steps on a remarkable journey."

French international Pogba, who came through the youth ranks at Old Trafford, rejoined the Red Devils in 2016 from Juventus for a then-record fee of £89.3million.

But his second stint has been filled with frustration as the club struggled to compete with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.

Pogba did help United to Europa League glory under Jose Mourinho in 2016-17 and a run to the final in 2020-21, where they lost to Villarreal 11-10 on penalties.

However, his trademark virtuoso performances have been few and far between in recent times and he was booed by some of his own supporters as last season drew to a close. 

He was restricted to just 27 appearances in all competitions in 2021-22 and his departure has felt inevitable since contract talks stalled.

Where next for Pogba?

Where Pogba, 29, will head next remains uncertain, though former club Juve are known to be keen on a reunion.

The World Cup winner is also likely to attract attention from elsewhere but his excessive wage demands are expected to price many interested parties out of the race.

His future may become clearer upon the release of his upcoming Amazon Prime documentary, titled The Pogmentary.

Set to premiere on July 17, a trailer teased on Pogba’s social media seems to suggest his contract situation features prominently.

Pogba made 226 appearances during his second spell at Old Trafford, scoring 39 goals and setting up a further 51.