Pogba Reveals Why He Rejected Real Madrid for Man United

The French midfielder said Real Madrid had approached him, but his heart told him to go back to Old Trafford, where he had started his professional career.

“To be honest, Real Madrid came to me and I was thinking to go there, and I was thinking to go to Manchester United too,” Pogba told the Beyond the Pitch podcast.

“But I always felt it in my heart. My heart told me to come back here. I don’t know why, I didn’t know what was going to happen.”

Pogba eventually completed his return to United in August 2016 for a then-world-record initial fee of £89 million.

The midfielder had left United for Juventus in 2012 after struggling to establish himself under Sir Alex Ferguson. Four years later, he returned to Manchester as one of the most highly rated midfielders in world football.

Despite the pressure that came with his huge transfer fee, Pogba insisted he had no regrets about choosing United over Madrid.

“But I did it, and I don’t regret. I never regret my choice,” he said.

Pogba's first season back at United ended with the club winning the League Cup and Europa League, although they finished sixth in the Premier League.

Looking back, the decision remains one of the biggest “what if?” moments of Pogba's career. Real Madrid went on to win La Liga and the Champions League in the 2016/17 season, while Pogba returned to the club he had always considered home.

Would Pogba have achieved more if he had chosen Real Madrid?