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Paul Pogba can be United's new Roy Keane or Bryan Robson.

Old Trafford legend Ryan Giggs believes the days of pigeon-holing midfielders in a specific engine room role are over and the Reds's £89m world record buy can be a dynamic all-rounder.

“He (Pogba) could be a Roy Keane, Bryan Robson or Steven Gerrard, someone who can do everything,” said Giggs after the 23-year-old Frenchman's first appearance since his move from Juventus.

“We get too hung up on 'he's a sitting midfielder or he's an attacking midfielder' but why can't a midfielder do everything? That's what they're supposed to do.

“You need intelligent players around you and you need to get the balance right. Sometimes you need players to fill in for you but I don't see why he can't do that.”

Former United academy product Pogba impressed on his 'second' Old Trafford debut against Southampton in the 2-0 win.

United had to relegate Real Madrid's Gareth Bale to the second most expensive player on the planet to prise him away from Turin.

But the huge fee never crossed Giggs' mind when he watched Pogba against the Saints.

“The biggest compliment I can give him is that I was watching that game and watching Paul Pogba and I wasn't thinking of £89m,” added United's most decorated player and Louis van Gaal's former assistant.

“I was just thinking of a player enjoying himself and trying things and expressing himself and as the game went on.

“Yes sometimes things won't come off, but he's trying things and he's releasing himself, he's all over the pitch, he wants to get on the ball and it was a brilliant, brilliant performance when you take into consideration he's only trained for a week, the price tag and he's still only 23.

“If he keeps playing like that, like I said the price tag won't be mentioned.”