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Former Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has urged the club to allow wantaway midfielder Paul Pogba to leave this summer.

The World Cup winner has been linked with a move to Real Madrid for much of the transfer window and even said publicly in June that he was looking for a fresh challenge.

United, though, have been adamant that their club record signing, who rejoined the club from Juventus for £89m in 2016, would not be allowed to leave.

That has not dampened speculation linking the 26-year-old Frenchman with a summer move, but in an interview with BBC Sport , Ibrahimovic said the Premier League giants should allow Pogba to leave if he no longer wants to be there.

(Image: AFP)

"I think if he doesn't want to stay, it makes no sense to keep him," said the Swedish striker, who played alongside Pogba at United from 2016-18.

"You let him go and if he wants to be somewhere else, that is where you let him go to.

"(You have to) use the situation and bring in somebody who wants to stay."

"The dressing is more (about) the players' respect each other. They're professionals and understand each other's situation. Who worries more is the club and the management.

"You don't want a player in your club or in your team that doesn't want to stay because then you know he will not give 100 or 200 per cent, or he does that and still doesn't want to stay.

(Image: Katharine Lotze)

"It's a tricky situation and the best is what is the best for the club. That is what you have to look at."

Ibrahimovic was speaking ahead of the 2019 MLS All-Stars game against Atletico Madrid, which takes place in Orlando in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The LA Galaxy is one of seven former Premier League players in the All-Stars squad, alongside Brad Guzan, Nani, Alejandro Pozuelo, Wayne Rooney, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Carlos Vela.