Paul Pogba’s situation at Manchester United has impacted him mentally, admits Didier Deschamps

A lot was expected from Paul Pogba when Manchester United broke the transfer record for the then Juventus midfielder but nothing has gone according to plan. Instead, the Frenchman has struggled to consistently impress despite thriving at an international stage for France. It saw Pogba play a key role as France broke a 20-year World Cup drought when they lifted the 2018 World Cup. But the last eighteen months haven’t been Pogba’s best, with the Frenchman struggling for both club and country.

It has seen him come under immense criticism, especially with his future at Old Trafford up in the air with the arrival of Donny van de Beek. The Frenchman is no longer a sure-fire starter and has failed to impress when given the chance. This has seen Didier Deschamps admit that it has affected Pogba’s form for France. The Les Blues’ head coach further added that periods of bad form occur for every player but he believes Pogba has the ability and spirt to “answer his critics.” 

“He’s not in his best form, of course. I knew that before the game. This match was meant to give him some rhythm. He knew that he would only play for an hour. It’s hard to remember to be positive. Obviously, he’s not in one of his better periods. Like all players who have a club situation that is not positive, they are also impacted mentally,” Deschamps said, reported Goal.

“I know him well enough and it can happen at some points. Periods like this can happen. He has the knowledge of the highest level, the pride and the spirit to be able to answer his critics. After that, I have decisions to make on all the elements compared to the other players.”