Just as it would not surprise anyone if Pogba left over the course of the coming weeks, equally, it would not be a surprise if he stayed put for now. The Frenchman was valued at around £160 million by United last summer. Real offered only €30 million plus Colombia forward James Rodriguez back then and Juventus valued him at no more than the figure they sold him for. Paris St-Germain’s focus seems to be on trying to keep Kylian Mbappe at the club.

Pogba has two and a half years left on his contract, if you include the option of a 12-month extension to June 2022 on the club’s side. Something would have to give - or something unexpected present itself - for a deal to happen this month. Either way, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, have a growing problem on their hands.

Quite how United react to Raiola’s cutting remarks remains to be seen. Publicly, Solskjaer has struck a diplomatic tone over Pogba ever since taking the reins but, while that has mostly reflected well on the Norwegian, there will come a point where it could look weak if the situation worsens.

No individual player should be seen to be bigger than the club. Jose Mourinho, Solskjaer’s predecessor, has hinted in the past that that had become the case with Pogba but felt the club sided with the player over him. The Frenchman certainly looks like he has been indulged in a way other players probably would not have.