Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney all famously tested Fergie when he ruled Manchester United…

Manchester United have been here before. The buzzword of Sir Alex Ferguson's autobiography was 'control' but there were occasions that even the authority of that totalitarian figure was tested to its very limits.

High-profile cases came during Roy Keane's pursuit of a new contract at the turn of the millennium, Cristiano Ronaldo's highly-charged desire to join Real Madrid in the summer of 2006 and then, most acutely, Wayne Rooney's public attempts to force a way out of Old Trafford in 2010. 

On each occasion, Ferguson allowed his players to secure victories. Keane's terms improved, Ronaldo had mediation with Rooney after wink-gate at the 2006 World Cup and Rooney signed an extortionate new contract at United despite publicly questioning the club's ambition.
 

 

In the case of Paul Pogba, then, all is not lost. The question, however, is whether he is worth the indulgence. The trio of Keane, Ronaldo and Rooney strained Ferguson's blood pressure but what followed justified the angst. 

As things stand, United are standing firm. They have told Pogba he will not be leaving the club this summer and this is why the player has taken to publicly agitating for a transfer. 

His agent Mino Raiola does not, as we well know, care much for a player's reputation if it bolsters their bank balance and it will certainly be interesting to see the extent of Pogba's personal contortions this summer as he seeks his transfer to Real Madrid or Juventus. Do not yet rule out a new and improved contract at Old Trafford if it suits Raiola.





MailOnline