Paul Pogba opens up on ‘boyfriend and girlfriend’ relationship with Jose Mourinho at Man Utd

Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho enjoyed a difficult relationship at Manchester United but the French midfielder still holds a great deal of respect for his former manager regardless

Paul Pogba has described his relationship with Jose Mourinho as that of ‘a boyfriend and girlfriend’.

The Fenerbahce boss was in charge at Manchester United when the club made the decision to re-sign Paul Pogba from Juventus for £89million in the summer of 2016. The pair enjoyed a difficult relationship at times but the French midfielder, who recently saw his ban from football shortened, played 108 times under the two-times Champions League winner at Old Trafford.

Pogba is at a loss to describe why their partnership soured, but admitted he would still greet Mourinho with affection should they encounter each other. The 31-year-old revealed he would like to sit down and discuss exactly what happened in their time together however.

“Our relationship was like boyfriend and girlfriend, we were breaking up and making up all the time,” Pogba told Mail Sport. “It started great, he was one of the reasons I went back to Manchester because I spoke to him and he convinced me to come back.

“I don’t know why it turned into a nightmare and us fighting. Because I wasn’t fighting. I didn’t start the fight. We disagreed like managers and players do sometimes. But there’s a lot of respect from me to him. If I see him tomorrow it’s a big hug! But one day we will have to sit down together and discuss it.”

Pogba has long been perplexed by how his relationship with Mourinho unfolded and was not afraid to be critical of his former boss. In 2021, the France international compared the Portuguese manager’s style to that of his replacement Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

“What I have now with Ole is different because he wouldn’t go against the players,” Pogba said in a Sky Sports interview. “It’s not like you put them on the side and they don’t exist any more. I think that’s the difference between Mourinho and Ole.

“Once I had a great relationship with Mourinho. Everybody sees that and the next day you don’t know what happened. That’s the strange thing I had with Mourinho. And I can not explain to you because, even me, I don’t know.”

Mourinho, who was in charge of Tottenham at the time offered a blunt response in return: “I would like to say that I couldn’t care less with what he says. I am not interested at all.”

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