Want to feel old? Yes, it was just over ten years ago that Paul Pogba sealed his return to Manchester United, the powerhouse midfielder having been the statement signing of Jose Mourinho's first summer in charge.

The fact that the Frenchman's £89m capture remains United's record deal, at a time of exorbitant Premier League spending, is of concern, with there a feeling that the club is now trailing in the wake of their top-flight rivals.

Perhaps this new INEOS regime are being wise in not paying over the odds, however, with Pogba's signing just one of many expensive deals to have ended sourly in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

That's not to say the World Cup winner was a total disaster in a United shirt, with there more a frustration that he never quite lived up to his sky-high potential.

Was Paul Pogba overrated or overhated at Man Utd?

The toxicity inside Old Trafford during the recent defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion did spark a reminder of watching on as Pogba made what proved to be his final home appearance back in April 2022, the soon-to-be free agent jeered off in that 3-2 win over Norwich City.

The mood as a whole at the club was on the floor at the time, but Pogba, as ever, felt the full force of fan frustration, subsequently inflaming matters by cupping his ear to the crowd amid his late withdrawal.

A final appearance for the club followed the week after, as he trudged off injured early on away at Anfield, perhaps a fitting finale for a man who'd long outstayed his welcome in Manchester.

It's fair to say it never really got better than a promising debut campaign in 2016/17, as United won the poor man's treble, with the former Juventus star only really coming alive again in 2018/19, following Mourinho's mid-season exit.

Yes, there were match-winning displays and moments, memorably supplying four assists on the opening day in 2021/22 against Leeds United, but nothing ever felt sustained or consistent, not least amid the ongoing talk of an exit across his time at the club.

Perhaps he needed a more suitable midfield partner, or a shift to 4-3-3, yet the now-veteran talent never truly hit the heights that he'd displayed so frequently in a France shirt.

It's fair to say his talent was almost wasted to a degree in Manchester - let's hope the same doesn't happen again any time soon.

Why Man Utd might have just signed the new Pogba

The biggest frustration of all regarding Pogba, a man who left on a free for the second time in 2022, is that he had it all on the face of it, a real complete package of a midfielder at his best.

When he did turn it on, even if infrequently, he was almost unplayable and unstoppable at times, able to glide his way up the pitch, such was his innate blend of strength and dribbling prowess.

It's that kind of powerhouse presence that United's midfield still looks to be crying out for, with the likes of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos yet to really get going at Old Trafford.

Hopes are high for Carlos Baleba, yet the Cameroonian is more of a number six than a Pogba-style number eight, more likely to impress with what he does out of possession than his quality in possession.

The man who might well be the next Pogba in the making, therefore, is 16-year-old starlet, David Eze, the teenager having been plucked from rivals Manchester City last week.

Part of an aggressive youth recruitment drive taking place at Carrington right now, the signing of Eze marks a real coup for Jason Wilcox and co, not least at such a turbulent time for those at the Etihad.

As per United correspondent Katherine Walsh, the youngster's 'rare mix of physicality, height and technique has drawn huge comparisons' to that man Pogba, with it looking as if United have another gem on their hands.

It's worth remembering that the Red Devils also snapped up the Frenchman initially as a mere 16-year-old too back in 2009 from Le Havre, with Pogba going on to form a central part of the side that claimed FA Youth Cup glory in 2011.

The hope will be that Eze can also flourish among this latest crop of exciting young stars in United's youth ranks, with ex-Liverpool starlet Isaac Konde also arriving this week, while 17-year-old winger, Noah Ajayi, has just penned professional terms.

In Eze's case, watching the England U17 international in action does showcase why Wilcox and co were so keen to sign him, this a player who dominates the midfield at academy level.

In Pogba fashion, his first thought always appears to be to play forward, be it with a probing pass or a progressive, slaloming run, with there certainly reason to be excited about this recent arrival.