Zimpapers Logo

LONDON. (AFP) – Paul Pogba’s agent, Mino Raiola, has slammed Manchester United soccer legend Paul Scholes for his criticism of the Frenchman’s leadership in the Red Devils’ 3-2 loss to Brighton.

Scholes, who scored 107 goals in 499 English Premier League appearances for United, said after the game that United were lacking leaders, taking aim particularly at stand-in captain Pogba.

“We thought Paul Pogba might be the ideal candidate to be that leader but he wasn’t there today. He had another really poor game. He’s so inconsistent. Pogba’s playing the ball out of play, he’s over-hitting passes, he’s hitting passes short, he’s getting caught in possession,” said Scholes.

Raiola did not take kindly to the BT Sport pundit’s opinion of his client and took to Twitter to air his views.

“Some people need to talk for fear of being forgotten. Paul Scholes wouldn’t recognize a leader if he was in front of Sir Winston Churchill,” wrote Raiola in one tweet.

“Paul Scholes should become sports director and advise Woodward to sell Pogba. Would be sleepless nights to find Pogba a new club,” he added in another, tagging Pogba in both.

Pogba put in a man-of-the-match-winning performance against Leicester City in United’s 2-1 opening day victory. However, he hinted after the game that he was unhappy at the club.

Manager Jose Mourinho has played down reports of conflict between himself and the midfielder, but Raiola’s tweets have done little to hush speculation.