Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick says it is not his job to convince Paul Pogba or any other player to stay at Old Trafford.
The midfielder’s future is, yet again, the subject of intense speculation with the player out of contract next summer.
Interim manager Rangnick said Pogba was due to return to the UK from Dubai on Friday, where he undertook a warm-weather rehabilitation programme to recover from a thigh injury sustained on international duty with France in November.
Rangnick anticipates it will be another two weeks until Pogba can return to first-team training and then a further two weeks to reach the required level of intensity to play in his United system.
The 63-year-old German spoke to the French midfielder over the phone on Tuesday and hopes to meet him in person on Sunday, the day after United’s next Premier League match against Norwich.
He said he is looking forward to working with Pogba but said it was not his job – nor that of anyone else at the club – to convince any player of the merits of staying at United.
“Players have to want to stay and play for the club,” the former RB Leipzig coach said.
“For a big club like Manchester United, if a player does not want to play for a club like Manchester United, even in the long term, I don’t think it makes sense to convince him to change his mind.
“This is such a massive club (with) such fantastic support, I don’t think that anyone in the club should then try to convince the player to stay.
Manchester United v Young Boys
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MAN UNITED RATINGS: Dean Henderson – 7. The first of eleven changes from Sunday’s Palace game and quick off his line to clear a 21st minute Young Boys attack. Decent save on a slippy, soaked, surface abut could do nothing for Rieder’s stunning 42nd minute equaliser. United haven’t kept a clean sheet at home for five Champions League matches. AP Photo -
Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 5. Under pressure from Diogo Dalot for his place. Did little to suggest he deserves it back, though he couldn’t be blamed for the goal. Carried off on a stretcher long after the final whistle. His boss said he had a knock on the knee and the wrist. Getty Images -
Nemanja Matic – 6. United’s captain and a surprise to see him as a central defender, but he was comfortable turning against attackers and playing the ball forward. Solid, though defended too deeply later on and lost ball which led to an 87th minute Young Boys shot. EPA -
Eric Bailly – 7. Confident and skilful start. Spectacular double block as Young Boys tried to go ahead just before half time. More second half blocks. EPA -
Luke Shaw – 6. Returned after four games out and wasted little time as he crossed to set up Greenwood for the opener. Serious competition for his place now from Alex Telles. Getty Images -
Donny van de Beek – 5. Cheered by the Stretford End and had a good first half, but then gave the ball away which led to Young Boys’ equaliser. Played in a difficult role in a 4-2-2-2 formation. Reuters -
Juan Mata – 6. A rare start. Early ball forward to set up Elanga and several beautiful passes forward between opponents, the best to Lingard. Poor 26th minute free-kick and had a shot twice deflected after being set up by Greenwood. Needs to be playing regular football and it’s unlikely to happen at United. AP Photo -
Amad Diallo – 6. Paused when he could have shot after doing well by holding his run and creating a chance after 30 minutes. Instead he played the ball towards Lingard. Bizarre free kick given against him after he’d done well on 56. Getty Images -
Jesse Lingard – 5. Involved in the opening goal thanks to his movement. Set up Amad after 32, but the youngster tried to play the ball back rather than shoot. Faded in the second half. Getty Images -
Anthony Elanga – 6. First Champions League start. High early challenge and was fortunate to avoid a foul. Played ball to Shaw before opening goal. Started second half brightly going past players. 58th minute shot well saved. AFP -
Mason Greenwood – 8. Outstanding finish for the opening goal after eight minutes – his positioning was as good as the finish. Beautiful ball to Lingard on 33 and did superbly to set up Mata on 33. A regular until October, but less so since. Put a strong case for a return tonight. Getty Images -
SUB: Teden Mengi – 7. On for Shaw after an hour. Went as left-back and recovered to make a key block after 71 after slipping. Defended well. AP Photo -
SUB: Tom Heaton – 6. on for Henderson on 68. The 35-year-old finally made his first team debut 20 years after joining United as a youngster. Getty Images -
SUB: Shola Shoretire – 6. On for Diallo after 68. Last season’s young player of the year with a huge future ahead of him. Booked. Reuters -
SUB: Charlie Savage – NA. On for Mata after 88 after Young Boys pushed for a winner – watched by his emotional father and former footballer Robbie. AP Photo -
SUB: Zidane Iqbal – NA. On for Lingard after 88. The sixth United academy graduate to make his Champions League debut for United. PA -
YOUNG BOYS RATINGS: Guillaume Faivre, 7 – Beaten all ends up by Mason Greenwood’s acrobatic finish. Perhaps the goalkeeper could have got down quicker, but he redeemed himself when he turned Juan Mata’s deflected effort over with his trailing leg before saving well from Elanga. Reuters -
Quentin Maceiras, 5 - Failed to stop the cross that led to the goal when he gave Luke Shaw far too much room. At the other end he was painfully close to making it 2-1 when he sliced agonisingly wide from 12-yards. AP Photo -
Mohamed Ali Camara, 6 - Pressed high and switched the play nicely with a brilliant diagonal pass out to the left flank as Young Boys looked to take the same route that gave the Red Devils so much joy in the first-half. Getty Images -
Fabian Lustenberger, 5 - Lost Greenwood who crashed home the opener inside 10 minutes. He did just about enough to keep out Mata’s effort when the ball cannonned off him and then Faivre inadvertently, but he squandered a second-half chance when he thumped over. Getty Images -
Jordan Lefort, 5 – Left one on Amad Diallo on the quarter-hour mark and the wet and windy Manchester rain did little to take the sting out of the challenge. Theatrically headed Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross behind for a corner and whipped in a couple of inviting crosses at the other end. PA -
Christopher Martins Pereira, 6 – Didn’t do enough to contain Jesse Lingard who frequently found space in behind, although he tested Dean Henderson when his 30-yard effort skidded off the turf and he earned a corner with another effort from distance. AFP -
Michel Aebischer, 7 - Produced his side’s first shot on target when he took aim in the 28th minute, but his finessed attempt was easily smothered by Henderson. Almost turned the game on its head when his flashed effort was blocked by Bailly. AP Photo -
Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu, 7 - Looked to craft a response with a deep cross from the right-hand side that was easily claimed by Henderson. He looked bright in glimpses and showed excellent close control to squeeze out of tight spaces on a couple of occasions. Getty Images -
Meschak Elia, 5 - A quiet night’s work from the midfielder who was tasked with supporting Siebatcheu, but didn’t really have much of an impact on proceedings. Dragged a priceless opportunity horribly wide with the goal at his mercy. EPA -
Fabian Rieder, 8 – Used his body well to draw a foul from Wan-Bissaka under pressure when the Manchester United right wing-back clattered into the back of him. Spectacularly levelled with a wonder-strike that nestled into the top corner and gave Henderson no chance. AP Photo -
Jordan Siebatcheu, 6 - Showed his side's confidence and caused some problems from the off as he looked to wriggle free in the box, but Eric Bailly was able to clear. Fizzed a decent chance wide of goal shortly after the restart. EPA -
SUB: Silvan Hefti (on for Rieder, 62’), 7 - An industrious showing off the bench from the defender by trade who made a nuisance of himself, but couldn’t force a winner. AFP -
SUB: Vincent Sierro (on for Aebischer, 62’), 5 - Caused problems almost immediately when his corner evaded everyone and dropped kindly for Lustenberger who blasted over. His next set-piece was much less-impressive and he wasted a couple of decent chances. EPA -
SUB: Sandro Lauper (on for Camara, 77’), NR - Brought on for centre-back Camara as the visitors looked to snatch a dramatic winner, but he wastefully flicked a short corner straight out for a goal-kick with the seconds ticking down. EPA -
SUB: Nico Maier (on for Elia, 87’), NR - A brief cameo but no time to make an impact. EPA -
SUB: Wilfried Kanga (on for Siebatcheu, 62’), 5 - Failed to take advantage of a slip from Teden Mengi when he dawdled in the box which gave the youngster time to recover and make a superbly-timed challenge. AP Photo
“But on the other hand, let’s wait and see. I’ve spoken with him for 15 minutes over the phone a few days ago. Let’s have him come back, get fully fit, train with the team and then we will see where we stand (and) how the team has developed by then.
“He can be an important player, I’m fully aware of that, but this is true for all the other players that we have.
“I’m not only the coach of Paul Pogba once he’s fully fit, I’m also the coach of all the other players and my ambition is to make them better, to develop each individual player, and this is only possible by improving the performance of the whole team.”
Rangnick also said he had told team doctor Steve McNally and the head of rehabilitation and physiotherapy Robin Sadler that in future he did not want players to travel away from the club for treatment.
The German is set to make significant changes to the side who drew with Young Boys in a Champions League dead rubber on Wednesday night.
That line-up featured 11 changes from the team who took on and beat Crystal Palace last Sunday in Rangnick’s first official match in charge since the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Rangnick said he had operated two training groups this week and that the players who featured against Palace had been rested on Tuesday as part of preparations for the Norwich match.
Right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who came into the team on Wednesday night, is a doubt for Saturday’s squad after injuring his wrist and knee during the European match. Diogo Dalot is likely to return to the starting XI in his place.
Rangnick said Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic was another “question mark” due to a cold, though he had tested negative for Covid-19.
