OLE Gunnar Solskjaer hinted that he could make Paul Pogba his captain this season during Manchester United’s successful Australian leg of their pre-season tour. There’s only one problem: the Norwegian doesn’t know if the Frenchman will be leaving the club this summer.

The decision has not been made. United don’t want to sell Pogba but recognise it’s far from ideal keeping a player who is determined to leave. There’s also a lack of realistic suitors for Pogba right now. It’s not that he has no admirers since he’s largely perceived to be a world class performer by the biggest clubs, but that he earns too much and would cost too much.   

Barcelona were frightened by both those factors a year ago when contacted about Pogba. Real Madrid are interested, but they’ve spent most of their transfer pot and would need to sell players to raise more money. Barça have spent their money too and wanted to pay for Antoine Griezmann in instalments. There’s a feeling at United that one major move will trigger several transfers in England, be it Harry McGuire moving to Old Trafford or another player.

Today's #MUFC Man of the Match, as voted by the fans…

@PaulPogba pic.twitter.com/b3XVi27ICy

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 17, 2019

Solskjaer talks optimistically of Pogba’s qualities when asked. What else can he do? Publicly criticise his most talented player, someone he gets on very well with and someone who might end up staying next term? He can hardly talk down the player and risk devaluing him and making him and his agent even more determined to leave. United don't like to be drawn into publicly criticising or briefing against their own players while they’re under contract. The likes of David de Gea appreciated that in the long run. United’s side of the story can wait until they leave.

And what of United fans? Pogba divides opinion right now and that was evident when his name was announced before Wednesday’s 4-0 friendly win over Leeds United in Perth. There was a mixture of boos and cheers, but while the Sun’s ‘Paul the other one, Ole’ headline on Wednesday suggested that Solskjaer was wrong to claim Pogba will win over unhappy fans, Solskjaer is quite right.

Football fans are as fickle as they are loyal. They change their tune quickly according to circumstance and results. You could not find a single United fan in support of Wayne Rooney at the start of August 2013 when he wanted to leave and join Chelsea. United had no interest in selling him, held their ground and a sulking Rooney stayed.

He was substitute for the first game of the season away at Swansea and he expected to be booed by the 2,000 travelling United fans. What happened when he began to warm up? Half the United fans gritted their teeth and some booed, while half cheered him. A few decent performances (and Rooney was easily his team’s best player for the first half of 2013-14) saw fans change their tune. Helped by saying the right things and playing well, he was allowed to be a hero again.

If Pogba stays then he would like to be captain. He wanted to be captain in 2017 and 2018, but Jose Mourinho had other ideas. And if he goes then Solskjaer would like to bring two players in with the money, but for now he’s in the dark about Pogba’s future with little to go on but indications and the fact that United have no intention of selling him.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists he can give Paul Pogba what he wants. pic.twitter.com/Uqjvy0cJGu

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) July 16, 2019

The Norwegian feels that the modern day top-flight footballer has far more power and money than players of his generation. He thinks that they can no longer be treated as he and his peers were by tough coaches like Sir Alex Ferguson. That doesn’t make Solskjaer’s job any easier. He also recalls that while he had an agent himself, he was largely used for contract negotiations every three years and for little more. Today’s agents are more involved in the players’ lives.

Solskjaer has indicated which players he wants and which players he’s prepared to let go. Pogba is not one of the players he wanted to shift and on the evidence of his performance against Perth Glory, you can see why. Despite carrying a little more weight than before, Pogba was easily the best player on the pitch.

And whatever the criticisms levelled at Pogba, there are some facts which work in his favour beyond his goals and assists. He plays more games than any outfield player, he’s usually a model professional, he’s polite and popular with most of the players. He’d sit in Solskjaer’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system with the licence to move forward as the players around him rotate.

The manager will meet Ed Woodard if United’s Chief Executive is able to join up with the touring party for the next stop in Singapore. United still want to strengthen their squad for this season, but they also want to shift existing players – and that’s difficult when you have underperformers sitting on huge contracts.

Though they have their reasons, I don’t like the way Pogba and his agent are agitating for a move. Pogba played a part in getting United into the mess at the end of last season and he should play his part in leading them out of it. If that means him leaving in a year rather than now then so be it – it would also give him a chance to prove that he’s one of the best in the world. Because plenty of Manchester United fans who pay his huge wages still need convincing.