Louis Saha does not believe that Paul Pogba has the "same style or personality" to become a Wayne Rooney or Roy Keane figure at Manchester United.
Pogba's long-term future at Old Trafford remains uncertain, despite being a crucial first-team player under United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The 28-year-old French midfielder's current United deal will expire next summer amid hints from super-agent Mino Raiola that he could quit the club.
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Saha, who spent four seasons at Old Trafford, is a big admirer of his fellow countryman and branded him a "top player."
However, the 42-year-old Frenchman has urged Pogba to perform at a high level after the addition of players like Bruno Fernandes to the United squad.
Saha added that he doesn't expect the United star to become a player like United legends Rooney and Keane, saying that "we can't ask him to be someone else."
The former France international told GentingBet: "I'm a big fan of Paul.
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"To be honest, some games, like last season, he was alone. He was without Bruno, without the players around him playing with full confidence. Now all those forward players have ambition and energy, now Paul has no excuse.
"He's really a top player that we can ask a lot of because he's able to do so much and provide so much for his team. Now it will be very important that his fitness will be totally right because he has been hit by Covid and a few injuries.
"I can't wait to see him start the season with a proper pre-season, a proper set-up of tactics with the manager to give him the platform to go and destroy the season. This is the potential.
"Of course, I don't like when it comes to speculation and his agent comes and talks instead of him.
"In so many ways it brings the attention back to Paul when he doesn't need that, he needs to let his football talk. This is where, as a fan, you get frustrated because he sends the wrong image.
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"That's not him, I'm sure. I know him well and the guy is strong, he will hold his ground, he will show that he is passionate but he's not going to show weaknesses or be influenced by anyone. That's the kind of situation we have with him. But he's super motivated on his own.
"Paul isn't going to be a Roy Keane or a Wayne Rooney, that's not the same style or personality and we can't ask him to be someone else. He's going to be Paul Pogba."
Pogba, who left Juventus to return to United in 2016, will be the subject of an upcoming documentary series after signing a deal with Amazon.
Topics: Paul Pogba, Louis Saha, Football, Manchester United, Premier League, England, Wayne Rooney, Roy Keane