Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested he will only make a January signing if a long-term target becomes available.
United manager admits Pogba is an option to come into midfield
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested he will only make a January signing if a long-term target becomes available.
Speculation has claimed Ferguson will try to strengthen his midfield in the New Year after Darren Fletcher joined Anderson and Tom Cleverley on the sidelines, while Paul Scholes was not replaced following his retirement.
The likes of Luka Modric, Samir Nasri and Wesley Sneijder were mooted as summer targets for Ferguson, who is not generally a fan of buying new players in January.
He is optimistic United can cope with the absences in midfield and has pinpointed teenager Paul Pogba as a player who could step into the first-team squad on a regular basis.
Not suitable
"I don't why people keep going on about that [buying in January]," said Ferguson.
"It's never been a route we've taken consistently unless a player that we've been interested in appears but there is no sign of that at the moment. So therefore it's not always suitable to us.
"If you look at the options we have - [Phil] Jones has played a few games there, Ryan [Giggs] obviously can play there too and Ji [Sung Park] is capable of playing there too.
"There are maybe one or two other options - Darron Gibson is an option. He had an early season injury, but he has experience needed to play in central midfield. The options are not too bad.
"Young Pogba is an option. He's progressing very well. It's one of these situations - unless there is a player we've been interested in for a while appears and you can get him, then there isn't much point in bringing an individual in because it gives you another player.
Good athlete
"Pogba is a possibility. He's a big strong lad, a good athlete. He's improving and developing well.
"Since he's come to the club we've seen the progress he's made and in terms of that youth team we had last year, six of them have all had a bit of experience of the first team this year.
"Of course, young [Ryan] Tunnicliffe is another member - he's over at Peterborough - he's playing Championship football at 18 years of age, so he's doing very well.
"It's a good group that - it's turned out very well. Pogba physically is better than the rest of that group, maybe apart from Zeki Fryers who is a very good athlete."
