'I warned Pogba that returning to Man United was not the right move', says Juventus legend Marchisio

Juventus legend Claudio Marchisio has revealed he told Paul Pogba not to sign for Manchester United in 2016 because it was ‘not the right move for his career’.

Marchisio played with Pogba from 2012-2016 before the Frenchman sealed a club record £89million move back to Old Trafford.

The Frenchman’s second spell at United has been a frustrating one and he is set to leave when his contract expires this summer.

Marchisio was always wary of his friend’s move to United and urged him to consider a return to Turin.

‘He [Pogba] is the player that impressed me the most for the huge evolution that he had in Juventus because he arrived as a boy,’ Marchisio told Sportsmail. ‘Me, [Arturo] Vidal and [Andrea] Pirlo immediately understood his enormous potential and that’s what he showed.

‘We also became friends and as a friend I told him that Manchester United couldn’t be the right solution for him, the right choice. Not because of the team, it’s a great team, but because of the moment of his career.

‘In terms of a return to Juventus, as a friend, I would be so happy to see him again at Juventus.

‘It would be good for the club, I would suggest him to come back. But it’s up to him and the club to decide.’

Juventus finished fourth in Serie A for the second season running and are set for a summer of transition with boss Massimilano Allegri faced with a rebuilding project. Marchisio believes Allegri is the right man to lead the club forward and is hopeful the club are on the right track to make a greater challenge for trophies next season.

‘I don’t think a change in management would be good for the team and the club in general because getting used to another manager, another game and idea would be difficult. This shouldn’t be the way and I don’t think this will be the way.

‘It has been a difficult season but after nine great seasons, you could have expected this. Recruitment will be needed because there will be some important players like Paulo Dybala and Bernadeschi who are leaving.

‘Of course the club needs to tune up but if I look at the reality, Juventus is in the Champions League and they have failed Serie A by very small margins. I think there’s some work ahead of them but this is just a first step.’

Marchisio was speaking to Sportsmail at the launch of the new Lay's RePlay sustainable pitch in Turin, the first pitch to be laid in 2022.

Lay’s and Gatorade came together on their grassroots initiatives in Italy, as part of PepsiCo’s ongoing commitment to provide equal opportunities for men and women on the pitch, and to celebrate its sponsorship of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Lay's RePlay, is a global initiative created in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children and streetfootballworld, that aims to bring joy to deserving communities by creating football pitches partially made of reused chip bags.

The new pitch was then used for the Italian finals of Gatorade’s 5v5 tournament - it's annual five-a-side competition for 14-16 year old boys and girls, which aims to inspire the next generation of athletes while creating opportunities for everyone to showcase their passion, dedication and talent. It was kicked off by Marchisio.

Explaining his involvement in the event, Marchisio said: ‘Having these kind of facilities in the cities is even more important than other places. Turin is a small town compared to big cities around the world.

‘This kind of facility has different aims, one of which is keeping boys and girls safe from the dangers of living in the streets, living in maybe dangerous suburbs. It is a place where inclusion can be a reality. This is also a duty of sport. I hope this is just the first step for a future pathway of all the guys that will be attending this place and also for the instructors that are here and can find talent that could never become true without such kind of places. I hope that this is where this talent can be enhanced and where inclusion can become a reality.'