Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Paul Pogba, Manchester City, Manchester United, Football Manager
Chris Nee
Topics: Paul Pogba, Manchester City, Manchester United, Football Manager
Paul Pogba's possible move to Manchester City has been simulated and at least one half of Manchester can be delighted by what happened.
The former Manchester United midfielder could sign for Man City in January when he returns from a reduced doping ban. He's eligible to train in the New Year and can play from March, offering Pep Guardiola a temporary solution in place of injured Ballon d'Or winner Rodri.
But what would Pogba's first full season at the Etihad Stadium look like?
We turned to Football Manager to find out.
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We simulated a season with Rodri injured and Pogba in the City squad and the upturn in their fortunes compared to this season's difficulties in the real world was striking.
With Pogba playing a starring role, Man City bagged a domestic double by winning both the Premier League and the FA Cup.
City's ninth Premier League title was won by four points ahead of second-placed Arsenal. Guardiola's side scored 83 goals and collected 85 points, a total that would only have won them the Premier League once in the last five seasons. They lost seven matches along the way.
The FA Cup run was dominated by the scoring exploits of Jack Grealish and the final against Everton was a comfortable 3-0 win at Wembley. Pogba picked up his first FA Cup winner's medal after losing out to Chelsea with Man Utd in 2017-18, scoring in the final.
The Gunners got their revenge in Europe, beating City 2-1 in the final of the Champions League to become champions of Europe for the first time.
Erling Haaland was the top scorer for City in both competitions but didn't get off the mark in the Carabao Cup before City's exit at the hands of Watford in the fourth round.
Pogba's performance levels more than justified City's simulated gamble.
He was among their best performers, scoring 11 times and assisting 16 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions and maintaining an average rating of 7.27 for the season.
A place in the best City eleven alongside Kevin de Bruyne was the inevitable result.
Should City's shock interest in Pogba come to fruition, performance numbers like that would be ample justification. In Rodri's absence, a revitalised Pogba could help Guardiola get to grips with his team's dramatic loss of form.
Whether they'll actually go for him and get the deal over the line remains to be seen.