Carlton Cole has admitted he would bring the soon-to-be free agent Paul Pogba to West Ham United this summer.
Various reports have claimed that Pogba is set to leave AS Monaco via mutual agreement a little over a year after joining the club.
Pogba appears to be on his way out of MonacoGetty
The former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder, who won the 2018 World Cup with France, has played just 115 minutes for Monaco.
Pogba has dealt with fitness and injury issues following an 18-month doping ban, and is now set to be without a club.
It marks a sad chapter in the talented 33-year-old’s career having been a star player in the Premier League and Serie A.
Reacting to the news on The Sports Bar, Jason Cundy asked former West Ham star Cole if he would bring him to the London Stadium.
Should West Ham sign Pogba?
“We know he was a fantastic talent,” Cole said. “Whether he’s fulfilled his talent or not… he’s won the World Cup.”
On Pogba’s return to United in 2016, he added: “He went to Man United at a time when they were struggling and they all depended on him, because he was the marquee signing.
“It didn’t quite work out… he did deliver at times, but it was sparse, underwhelming.”
Cundy asked Cole if he would take him at West Ham: “You know what he’s got under the bonnet, you know what he’s capable of.
“£40k-a-week in the Championship, is that something that you think A, would appeal to West Ham and B, would appeal to him?”
“I don’t know whether he wants to play in the Championship, for one, but he might be short of offers now… Yeah, I would take him,” Cole said.
Cole would be willing give Pogba a chance of redemption at West HamAFP
“I’d take a punt, but you’ll have to sit down and have a conversation with him, and see where his head is at first, then you could probably go forward with that.
“There’s another reason why you could sign him, to sell shirts. Kids love him!”
West Ham would make a real statement of intent if they were to sign Pogba as they bid to win promotion back to the Premier League.
They are one of the favourites to win the Championship and have a void to fill with the exit of Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham Hotspur.
Could Pogba retire after his Monaco exit?
Although Pogba is still in his 30’s, European football journalist Andy Brassell has questioned if he should retire from professional football.
“Injured again this week,” he explained. “This time in a training camp, ironically in England. They’ve been at St. George’s Park this week, Monaco.
West Ham would make one of the signings of the summer if they brought in PogbaGetty
“Signed a year ago, cried tears of joy getting back in the game, but it’s been an enormously frustrating experience for him. I’m led to believe he’s been really useful in terms of the experience and the big brother role he’s used in the dressing room.
“But ultimately, they want to see him on the pitch, and he’s not been fit enough to play.
“Really, you just want him to be in a competition where he is going to be able to play, where he’s just going to be able to enjoy himself for the last couple of years of his career, because the last year has been a pretty miserable experience.”
When asked about what level he could play at, he added: “We don’t know, because when did we last see him play? He’s been out of the game for three years, basically.
“You can’t count him as being a player, really, last season because he played just a handful of minutes for Monaco. He’s clearly not up to Ligue 1 football physically, so I honestly don’t know.
“MLS is quite physical – we know he’s really into American culture but again, could he manage that? There’s no evidence to suggest that he could. So, maybe we’re looking at the Middle East, or maybe he just decides to call it quits.”
How Pogba would look in a West Ham shirt
“It would be a shame,” Brassell said. “But, there must be a point where you think, ‘I can’t do this anymore’, in terms of the struggle. He’s in a comfortable financial position with a young family, people love his company, he’s a great person to be around.
“It just doesn’t look like fun at the moment anymore. I know everyone wants to go out on their own terms, but very few footballers can.”
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