Why Paul Pogba Is Certain to Develop into a World Football Superstar in 2015

If we consider 2014 to have been his warm-up year, 2015 is certain to be the year that Paul Pogba develops into a world football superstar.

The Juventus midfielder won’t turn 22 years old until March, but he is far on his way to becoming one of football’s elite players. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi may be at the pinnacle of the game, but Pogba isn’t far away from joining the chasing pack of exciting young talents.

It wasn’t until the French midfielder left Manchester United on a free transfer back in 2012 that his name was thrust into the limelight, but now it is his performances for club and country that are making the headlines.

Since leaving United to seek more playing time, Pogba has won two Serie A titles, and two Italian Super Cups, plus he has played over 5,900 minutes for the Italian giants. That is 76 league games in just three seasons for the 21 year-old, worlds away from the 68 minutes over two seasons that he played in the Premier League.

Michel Euler/Associated Press

When you watch Pogba play, what excites you most is not what he does on field, it’s the clear areas where he can improve. At his age, it would be alarming if he already had the complete package.

One of the main areas that Pogba needs to work on is his distribution. He clearly has the outstanding ability to pick a pass and create chances for himself and others, but it his decision making that needs moulding. When to pass and when to beat his man, when and what pass to choose at the right time.

To aid his development, he needs to stay at the Italian club for the foreseeable future. Pogba has settled beautifully to life in Italy, and you can sense that his current club are building towards something very exciting. Pogba can sense it too.

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Pogba: "We might not be Real Madrid, #MCFC or #PSG but we have the players to achieve something important.” #JuveNews pic.twitter.com/HpuZSkMBV4

— Adam Digby (@Adz77) November 16, 2014"

There will always be interest from the likes of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, per Football Italia, but those moves would benefit the clubs more than they would Pogba himself. He needs to play at a club that will not only nurture him, but let the young player express his talent and let him blossom.

Back in November when France beat Sweden 1-0 at the Stade de France, Didier Deschamps used Pogba in a deeper role and it wasn’t until he was able to push forward in the second half, as discussed previously here, that France got the best out of the midfielder.

Pogba’s development was started by Antonio Conte, but it is Massimiliano Allegri’s 4-3-2-1 formation that could take Pogba’s game to the next level. However, instead of playing as one of the three deeper midfielders, the Frenchman is perfect to play behind the attackers.

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Speaking of Paul Pogba, here's a 71 second snippet showing why he was November's Player of the Month #JuveNews http://t.co/iDJ09Xf7id

— Adam Digby (@Adz77) December 17, 2014"

Pogba would be the better option than Arturo Vidal in one of the advanced positions, and he can help bridge the gap between midfield and the attack, with Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente benefiting from his dynamic style of play.

The 2014 World Cup came at the perfect time for Pogba. He was at the right age that he could enjoy the tournament with youthful bliss, but with plenty of time left in his career to play in one or two more. You have to believe that with the potential Pogba has, he will be vital for France when the 2016 European Championships come around in 18 months.

2015 is going to be huge for Pogba and Juventus. A third Serie A title is on the horizon: He will also play his part as “The Old Lady” try to qualify for the latter stages of the Champions League, plus his continued importance to the French national team.

The last 12 months have been huge in the development of Pogba’s ability, but with everything currently in place, there is little doubt that 2015 is certain to be the year when the Juventus midfielder becomes one of football’s biggest stars.