Video : As Paul pogba explains why he learn so much lesson from what made martial leave as he gives fans hope on his future at Manchester United.

 

Manchester United and their transfer 

dealings post-Sir Alex Ferguson have 

thrown up plenty of head scratchers.

Without putting a dampener on things, 

Angel Di Maria and Alexis Sanchez are 

two that spring to mind there. However, while those big-money additions

were unable to match the hype and - 

all things considered - ended up as United

flops, it's two resurfacing decisions that

send a blow to the stomach at a club 

that has always prided itself on a magnificent

academy system.

United have already lost Paul Pogba 

on a free transfer once and, a decade 

on from his switch to Juventus - which 

was actually sanctioned under Ferguson

- they are facing up to that prospect once

more as the World Cup winner continues

to attract interest from PSG and 

other European big-hitters.

Barring some late January activity, 

Jesse Lingard is set to follow him. Only 

in that case, you would expect it to be 

for east London or the north east, rather

than the Parc des Princes. Of course, 

there is a chance Pogba, in particular, 

might actually be convinced to stay depending

on how Ralf Rangnick and the permanent

successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer steer

the good ship United. A turnaround would be welcome there, 

but the mistakes have been made and 

it would, merely, paper over the cracks

in that respect. As the clock ticks towards Monday's 

11pm deadline, the pain, or downright 

bemusement, at allowing two academy 

graduates to run down their contracts, in 

one case for a second time, has returned

to the fore. But there are some signs that

United have learned from those two 

glaring errors.

Had they been sold in the summer

, United might have been looking at 

a £50million in hard cash for the pair.

Of course, that remains a speculative 

figure and, yet again, particularly with 

Pogba, he, and his agent Mino Raiola, 

held all the aces. It was in their interests

to reject extended terms to keep 

options open. No matter how you 

view Pogba's second coming, he 

will be a man in demand.

Lingard, too, was in control and in 

many ways short-changed after totting

-up numbers on loan at West Ham 

even Cristiano Ronaldo would have 

been proud to call his own.

Given the impending exodus that awaits

in what should be a summer of change 

for United, you can bet countless fans

have already delved into all four corners

of the internet to see where other players

stand with their contracts.

In that respect, there is unanimous 

proof United have noted mistakes from

Pogba and Lingard's situations.

Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford are

among the first-team players out of contract

in 2023 - along with Fred, David de 

Gea and returning five-time Ballon d'Or

winner Ronaldo. Albeit the players 

have one-year extension options.

United might, then, sense it as a chance

to cash-in on De Gea and Fred, on the 

proviso they have a succession plan 

in place. Who knows with Ronaldo. 

He should be still banging in the goals...

Ultimately, those three players hold 

options to extend. Meanwhile, when it 

comes to Shaw and Rashford, they will

be right at their peak and, in that sense

, at the height of transfer value. For them

, it is United who can trigger their extensions

- or cash in before reaching that point

. Lessons learned, but not forgotten.