John O'Shea Says Paul Pogba Will Boost Manchester United in Top-4 Race

John O'Shea has said Paul Pogba's imminent return to the Manchester United first-team squad could have a major impact on their Premier League ambitions.

The former United defender spoke on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast on TalkSport about how Pogba should be an important contributor for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the final weeks of the season during the race for UEFA Champions League qualification:

"There are definitely good signs. Obviously [Bruno] Fernandes has had that desired impact and [Odion] Ighalo seems to have found his feet.

"There are good signs but there's still a lot to do, a lot to improve on. You bring Pogba back into that mix and there are good signs ahead.

"He's had a couple of operations and he's back on the training pitch now, and he could hopefully play a big part in United closing the gap on Chelsea to get to the top four, and that would be a huge impact.

"I remember Paul in the youth team and coming into the first team, and he's a decent fella.

"Behind the scenes, he works brilliantly in the gym, he's a good character, he drives other players on."

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Fernandes and Ighalo starred as United defeated Derby County 3-0 on Thursday in the FA Cup. Solskjaer's men now face Manchester City on Sunday in the Premier League.

The Old Trafford giants have closed the gap to three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, and United's two January captures have quickly made a difference.

ESPN's Julien Laurens reported Pogba is keen to link up with Fernandes in United's midfield once he's fit. They could be a dream central pairing for United, but with just 10 league games remaining, the duo will need to hit the ground running.

Fernandes has provided leadership and creativity in Solskjaer's starting XI. Pogba could be the team's anchoring point during the Premier League's conclusion.

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United's involvement in the latter rounds of the UEFA Europa League and FA Cup will provide the club with trophy opportunities at the end of a difficult campaign.

According to Chris Hanlon of The Sun, United expect Pogba to depart the team in the summer, and Solskjaer is reportedly planning for life without the midfielder next term. Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing Pogba, with United monitoring Aston Villa's Jack Grealish as a potential replacement.

Pogba remains one of the best midfielders in the world, and major clubs will desire his services if he comes on to the transfer market.

However, the 26-year-old's desire to win trophies should see him return from injury with renewed motivation, and if he can recapture his fitness quickly, Pogba could be United's most important player in the final matches.