Gerrard could see Pogba favour Aston Villa transfer over Arsenal
Robin Bairner
- 24 Mar 2022 15:28 GMT
- 3 min read
Aston Villa were a transfer nemesis for Arsenal in 2021 and will attempt to be once again in 2022 as they target a move for Manchester United’s Paul Pogba.
Along with Newcastle and the Gunners, Villa have been linked with a shock summer move for the France star.
The Birmingham club whisked Emi Buendia from under the noses of Arsenal a year ago and made a significant but ultimately unsuccessful push to capture Emile Smith Rowe from them, too. Having also signed Emiliano Martinez from the north Londoners in 2020, Villa and Arsenal have had a close rivalry in the transfer market in recent years.
The two clubs are now set to arm wrestle over Pogba, whose deal with Man Utd is up at the end of the season.
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Gerrard: Pogba is like me
Steven Gerrard, the Villans’ boss, is a confessed fan of the France star. Indeed, the legendary Liverpool midfielder has previously compared Pogba to himself.
“I think if there’s one small, tiny criticism of this player it would be that he goes forward maybe too much,” Gerrard told BT Sport in 2018. “If he’s playing in central midfield with one other player i.e. a Matic, he might leave him a bit exposed.
“I had a similar criticism of myself when I played in that position with Didi Hamann or Xabi Alonso. I was eager to get into the box all the time and with experience and age and a bit more maturity, you maybe pick and choose your times where you make your runs.”
Although Aston Villa will not have Champions League football to offer Pogba next season – something that Arsenal may well have in their favour – Pogba may look at how Gerrard has rehabilitated another talent at Villa Park in recent months.
Villa’s signing of Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona came as something of a shock, but the player that Gerrard new well at Liverpool, who had been entirely lost in Spain, has re-emerged in Birmingham.
Pogba could draw inspiration from Gerrard’s handling of this case to snub Arsenal and Newcastle, who will doubtless be able to offer more lucrative terms should the Frenchman wish to stay in the Premier League.
