Report: Paul Pogba's Agent Working on Transfer Amid Juventus, Barcelona Links

Mino Raiola wants to get Paul Pogba out of Manchester United and is searching for a new club for the World Cup winner, according to Yahoo Sport UK journalist Duncan Castles (h/t Charlotte Duncker of the Manchester Evening News).

Castles spoke on the Transfer Window Podcast (h/t Duncker) and said the agent has been trying to engineer Pogba's exit for some time, with La Liga giants Barcelona and former club Juventus among those he's trying to convince to make a move.

It was Raiola who negotiated the then-world record deal to send Pogba to the red half of Manchester from Turin back in 2016. Fast forward two years later and the precocious midfielder United first let go back in 2012 has done little to justify the £89 million manager Jose Mourinho paid to bring him back to the Premier League.

Soccrates Images/Getty Images

It's not a case of Pogba lacking talent, far from it. In fact, the 25-year-old is arguably the most gifted midfielder of his generation, a formidable and skilled colossus who can dictate possession, score goals and break up play.

The problem is United only rarely see Pogba do any of these things. His second season under Mourinho yielded a mere six goals, with none coming in the UEFA Champions League, where a United side lacking ideas going forward was bounced out by Sevilla in the Round of 16.

Yet those who grew frustrated with Pogba's club form got a glimpse of the true talent when he helped inspire France to victory in Russia this summer. Operating at the heart of Les Bleus' midfield, Pogba showcased both the destructive and attack-minded sides to his game:

The difference in Pogba's form on the international stage and his consistency for United wasn't lost on Mourinho, who challenged the mercurial midfielder to do the same for his club.

Speaking to ESPN (h/t Jamie Jackson of the Guardian), Mourinho said: "I don’t think it’s about us getting the best out of him. It’s about him giving the best he has to give."

He also hinted at Pogba's inconsistency: "During a season, you can have a big match then a smaller match, then one even smaller, then you can lose your focus, you can lose your concentration, then comes a big match again."

Mourinho has put the ball in Pogba's court, but he would be wise to meet his star player halfway. For all his faults, Pogba still provided 11 assists last season, including 10 in England's top flight:

He's one of many gifted attacking types in the United squad, including forward Alexis Sanchez and striker Romelu Lukaku, a trio talented enough to power the team to a title. Yet it will take more effort on the part of the players, as well as a flexibility from Mourinho to grant his most creative players greater freedom to express themselves.

It's a balancing act Mourinho has so far struggled to manage with Pogba, but if the two can't get on the same page, it may be time for United to cash in.