Jose Mourinho looked to dispel any fears that him and Paul Pogba have fallen out at Manchester United.

In a week where The Sun reported that the two had a heated bust-up and the Daily Mail claimed that Pogba wanted a Barcelona move, Mourinho had plenty of answering to do.

The Portuguese clarified in his press conference: “He never had a fight with me. We never had a warm (heated), a hard, I don’t know how you say, exchange of words. Everything is respected. I have no problems at all.

“I don't care. I don’t care. I repeat: I want him to play well, I want him to play for that team, I want him to play for the fans, and that is what he did.

"He's working extremely well here but I have to say in his defence that write what you want about him, write what you want about me, please don't say lies, please don't put him in a situation where people can think that he's not a polite, educated guy, which he is.

Mourinho reacts to Pogba reports

"You know I'm here for two years and a couple of months and the only player that was fined was Anthony Martial, so is not easy to be fined here.

"So you have to ask him. I didn’t ask him, I’m not going to ask him. I repeat I want him to work the way he is doing and to play the way he is doing and, for me, that's the only thing that matters.”

A pretty emphatic answer from Mourinho it goes without saying, but not everybody is buying suggestions their relationship is all sunshine and rainbows.

Sky Sports reporter's theory

Enter Sky Sports reporter Aidan Magee who gave a rather eye-catching theory on Mourinho's Pogba quotes as part of the company's 'Transfer Talk' podcast this week.

Frankly, he doesn't believe Mourinho for one second, noting: "It sounds to me as if Jose Mourinho has been told in the background 'don't devalue the player.'

"I don't think there's a shift. I think Mourinho is trying to initiate one.

"Those comments sound slightly ludicrous. That won't resonate with United fans. They maybe dissatisfied with Mourinho but I also think from their record signing they haven't seen the best of Pogba.

"I certainly think he wants to go to Barcelona or Real Madrid.

"Whether he will go out I'm not so sure, unless Barcelona come to the table with a big, big offer."

Wow, that's no small claim from Magee.

For the time being, the Spanish transfer window remains wide open and there is still time for Barcelona to make a move if they so please.

United fans will simply have to hope that Mourinho meant everything he said in that press conference and Pogba continues to perform like he did against Leicester City.

There is no doubting that Pogba is a world-class player on his day and if United do stage a title challenge this season, they'll need their star midfielder on top form.

If nothing else, though, they need him at the club.

Do you think Mourinho was telling the truth in his press conference? Have your say in the comments section below.