Sir Alex Ferguson reveals the REAL reason Paul Pogba left Manchester United in 2012

Paul Pogba has gone on to become one of the best midfielders in the world since leaving Man United

SIR ALEX FERGUSON has blamed Paul Pogba's agent for the player’s controversial decision to quit Manchester United.

 

Pogba, now 22, left United to join Juventus on a free transfer in 2012 after refusing the offer of a new contract from Ferguson because he had grown frustrated with a lack of first-team opportunities at Old Trafford.

Midfielder Pogba, now valued at over £70m by Juve, has since developed into one of the world's most sought-after players with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City and Chelsea among the clubs chasing him.

 

Ferguson has been criticised for not doing enough to keep Pogba but in his new book, Leading, he blames Raiola for destroying the relationship between player and club.

He said: "There are one or two football agents I simply do not like, and Mino Raiola, Paul Pogba's agent is one of them. I distrusted him from the moment I met him. 

"We had Paul under a three-year contract, and it had a one-year renewal option which we were eager to sign.

 

"Raiola suddenly appeared on the scene and our first meeting was a fiasco. He and I were like oil and water.

"From then our goose was cooked because Raiola had been able to integrate himself with Paul and his family and the player signed with Juventus."

Ferguson also expressed his disappointment that Class of '92 graduates Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, two of the mainstays of his United team for well over a decade, are not part of the club’s coaching staff.

 

Sir Alex is disappointed Neville and Scholes are part of the United set up

Both players are now working as TV pundits - Neville with Sky and Scholes with BT Sport - but Ferguson said: "I really wanted [Gary] Neville to be involved with our academy, but he got a contract with Sky and went into the television world.

"I was disappointed, as Gary's character and attitude would have enhanced the club and Paul is one of the best assessors of a footballer within the game. I feel they were a loss to Manchester United."

Sir Alex Ferguson's book Leading with Michael Moritz is out today and available for £25 on hardback with Hodder & Stoughton