Thursday 7 November 2019 11:50, UK
Jose Mourinho says he expects Paul Pogba to stay at Manchester United beyond the summer but hinted the decision is up to the player.
Pogba was offered to Manchester City in January by his agent Mino Raiola, according to Pep Guardiola, and reports in Scotland this week claim he has also been offered to Paris Saint-Germain and former club Juventus.
Mourinho said last month that there is "no chance" goalkeeper David de Gea would be leaving Old Trafford, but he could only guarantee that neither he nor United want to sell Pogba in the upcoming transfer window, and that the player has not asked to leave thus far.
"I think he is going to be here next season. That's my feeling," Mourinho said. "I can give the guarantee that I don't want him to leave. I can give the guarantee that the club does not want to sell.
"And I can give the guarantee that we don't have any approach from him, from his agent, or any club. So in this moment, for me, he is staying."
Mourinho admitted that his squad needs improvement in the off-season both in terms of quality from the transfer market but also from within in terms of mentality.
The Portuguese, who could yet lift a second trophy in as many seasons with the FA Cup and yield United's highest league finish in five years, admits there are players in his group that he does not believe can make it at the club.
He said: "How many points separates us from Man City? Not two, three or four but a lot of points. I think we need both; some of the people we have need to be more consistent in their performance, and we need more quality.
"I trust some more than others to bridge that gap. That's normal. I know the players. I work with them for a couple of years. I know them better than anyone.
"Some of the players I am totally convinced are going to make it, some others I have some hopes they are going to make it, and some others I don't believe are going to make it.
"Unless the squad is a perfect squad - where, if you buy a player you don't like, then you buy another one - you have to keep in your squad players that you don't love, footballistically, and players that you don't totally believe have the level to the squad."
