Paul Pogba said yesterday he is “happy” at Manchester United but that Real Madrid, “is a dream club.” Playing for Real, “is a dream for every kid, for every football player,” the midfielder told a press conference at France’s training base.
“It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. I’ve always said Real Madrid is a dream club for every player,” the 26-year-old said. The Spanish outfit recently re-appointed another World Cup winning French midfielder in Zinedine Zidane as head coach taking over from Santiago Solari.
United have also changed bosses this season, bringing in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to replace the sacked Jose Mourinho. “At the moment, I’m happy in Manchester. I play. There’s a new coach,” he said.
Pogba, who was interviewed on British television earlier in the day, was asked again about his difficult relationship with Mourinho, and again attempted a sidestep. “What was wrong? Bah, We did not win,” he said. “That’s why they changed coaches. It’s not necessary to go into details. If the results had been more positive, the coach would have stayed,” he added with a smile.
“Maybe we lost confidence, maybe things went wrong. A lot of talking outside that we weren’t used to. I don’t like to talk about the past. I like to talk about the future because that’s what matters. We are better now and the results have been brilliant,” he added.
Pogba hopes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is given the Manchester United manager’s job on a permanent basis after the Norwegian turned the club’s fortunes around. The former United striker has transformed the mood and results at Old Trafford, leading the club into the Champions League quarter-finals and lifting them into contention for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
When Solskjaer was given the role following the departure of Mourinho in December it was widely assumed he was merely keeping the seat warm for a bigger managerial name but his success has led to a clamour for the appointment to be made full-time and midfielder Pogba has now added his voice.
“Of course we want him to stay,” the France midfielder said. “The results have been great. I have a great relationship with him, he has a great relationship with the players. When a player is happy, he wants to keep being happy. Solskjaer deserves it. He knows the club, he knows everything about the club. He is a really happy coach that gave confidence back to the players. This gave us the freedom to play and enjoy football again because maybe we lost that with the results that we had before.”
Despite their good run, United were beaten by Wolves in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, a week after losing to Arsenal in the Premier League — the only two domestic defeats since Solskjaer replaced Mourinho in December.
Meanwhile,  Pogba confirmed he had given all his France teammates world champion rings modelled on those in many American sports. “We handed them out to the players, the reaction was good, they thanked me,” Pogba said.  “It’s a small gesture after winning a World Cup with great players. I consider them my family. It’s a small gift from me.”
France midfielder Blaise Matuidi tweeted a photo showing him and Pogba holding the boxes containing the enormous rings. “Unforgettable present for an unforgettable memory. Thanks from the bottom of my heart to the jeweller @paulpogba.” Matuidi wrote.
Pogba said he had already made a similar gesture when he left Juventus, where he won four straight Serie A titles, for Manchester United. “I made a small gift to the players when I left,” he said. “It was a small gesture to thank them for the trophies, because we do not play alone, we never win on our own,” he added.
Pogba hatched the plan with Antoine Griezmann, a fan of American basketball, where championship rings, which originated in baseball, are common. 
“A World Cup you do not win it alone, the players were there behind me, they supported me” and despite “criticism”, the group remained “bonded”, Pogba said.
“A small gesture like that is nothing because a World Cup is for life, this ring you can lose, but the World Cup you do not lose that,” he said.