Paul Pogba’s future is once again in the spotlight.

The Manchester United midfielder has long been linked with a move away from the Old Trafford club and those flames were fanned by his agent, Mino Raiola, earlier this week.

Raiola, in an interview, said that Pogba time at the club was coming to an end and that he needed to move clubs in order to regain his happiness.

The France international came on as a substitute on Tuesday against RB Leipzig and helped reduce the deficit from 3-1 to 3-2 in the Champions League group stage match.

It was a game that United could not afford to lose as they attempted to win qualification to the knockout rounds of the competition but they could not find the third goal that would have sent them through.

They are subsequently facing up to another spell in the Europa League, but it seems Pogba could well return to Europe’s elite club competition sooner rather than later.

Marca reports that Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane remains keen on signing the 27-year-old but there is one clear obstacle in the way.

Real, indeed, are not said to be sold on his signing and would rather concentrate their resources on trying to sign PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe next summer.

Zidane, though, has wanted to sign Pogba for a year and a half and actually asked president Florentino Perez to acquire his signature in 2019.

United, though, refused to negotiate and it seems Zidane will again be disappointed this year.

The report claims that only him and Pogba believe such a move is possible.

GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…

Who would you sign?

If one was given the option between Pogba and Mbappe, the answer can only be the latter, surely?

And that leaves Pogba at something of a crossroads.

If a move to Real is not at all on the table, then he will have to find another club willing to take him – no easy feat given that he earns a reported £290,000-per-week.

Most doors are closed; one cannot imagine Barcelona finding that sort of money, Juventus already have the burden of paying Cristiano Ronaldo every week, and PSG have both Neymar and Mbappe.

One wonders if a merry-go-round will need to be initiated that would see Mbappe move to Real, freeing PSG to sign Pogba, but it feels a long shot at this stage; the midfielder faces an anxious waiting game.