There are certain players who become synonymous with clubs, having etched out their legacies with trophies and individual greatness. At a club like Manchester United, the list of certified legends is endless. From Sir Bobby Charlton to Wayne Rooney, from Eric Cantona to Cristiano Ronaldo. For greatness to be achieved, these players were not only the best in their own team, but amongst the best in the world. When Paul Pogba re-signed from Juventus, the expectations that he would become just that were there. And despite a couple of seasons of relative mediocrity, the Red Devils will surely regret losing the one midfielder who has the footballing potential to match the legends of years gone past.

According to El Chiringuito earlier this week (via the Daily Star), a move for Pogba to Real Madrid is ‘practically done’ and that after the Spanish giants complete the signing of Eden Hazard, the France World Cup winner will quickly follow. Perhaps the most damning statement of the news is the lack of shock and uproar from United fans; a club record signing, and yet indifferent to whether he leaves for pastures new.

To say the Frenchman is akin to Marmite would be an accurate reflection of his time at Old Trafford; there will be those who love him to the bitter end and stand up for his maverick style of play, and there will be those who are left frustrated by his more selfish approach, and knack for style over substance.

But if you were to boil it down to cold, hard facts, then there can be no denying that Pogba’s numbers for this season stack up favourably in what has been a humiliating season for United. With 16 goals and 11 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions, the 26-year-old is both the leading scorer and provider in the entire United side. If the Red Devils fans need a reminder of the sheer quality Pogba possesses, then look no further than his performances in the first couple of months of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign. He was unleashed from the shackles put on him by Jose Mourinho, and began to flourish as someone trusted with the responsibility of both creating and scoring goals for the side.

To some, those displays were the exception to the rule; that may be the case in respect to what he has shown at Old Trafford, but take his previous years at Juventus and his influential role at international level with France into account, and there can be no doubt, that truly was the real Pogba. A midfield powerhouse capable of turning the game on its head like he did against Manchester City at the Etihad last season. On his day, Pogba is nigh on unplayable. For United to let him go without seeing the midfielder dominate week-in and week-out would be a footballing crime.

Whilst the links with Giovani Lo Celso from Real Betis are understandable, the Argentine simply doesn’t carry the same intangible aura that Pogba brings. That feeling in the tunnel when the opposition looks across at the men standing across them, trying to win the psychological battle before the actual war. And when those players see Paul Pogba, World Cup winner and bonafide star, United will already have one foot ahead. Losing him would simply mark the end of the Old Trafford fear factor once and for all.

United fans, would you back the decision to sell Pogba this summer? If not, why not? Join the discussion by commenting below…