Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus? Where should Paul Pogba go to rebuild his career in the summer?

Paul Pogba’s frank and open admission of his suffering with depression at the start of this international break was both refreshing and eye-opening.

Such is the way mental health is still dealt with in society, it was a surprise to see one of the most recognisable stars in the sport open up about his own state of mind.

It was certainly a welcome one, the more we all feel comfortable to talk about our emotions the better, and as my colleague Ibrahim Mustapha outlined on Wednesday, it signals how we need to change in the way we talk about players.

The fact that Pogba chose to talk about this within the confines of the French national team also speaks volumes. It’s clear for all to see, especially in the way he talks about his time at Manchester United, that Pogba isn’t happy at his club at the moment.

It seems almost certain that he will move on in the summer. In the furore surrounding compatriot Kylian Mbappe it’s been forgotten that Pogba’s contract is also up at the end of the season. He is free to talk to European clubs as we speak.

Of course there is a chance that the prospect of either Mauricio Pochettino or Erik ten Hag coming in, combined with some new signings, might persuade Pogba to stay, but let’s say it doesn’t. If he and Mino Raiola decide to take their services elsewhere, where might be best for Pogba in terms of getting back to his best as a footballer? Let’s take a looksie.

This flirtation feels like it has been going on practically ever since Pogba returned to United in the first place. Whilst Florentino Perez is embarking on a slightly more restrained transfer policy, Pogba has always been of interest.

And this summer it matches up. Like Mbappe, Pogba would be available on a free transfer. And whilst that isn’t really a “free” given extortionate wages, agents fee and a signing bonus, it does with the way Real are currently operating.

So what about on the pitch? The caveat here is that there is every chance Carlo Ancelotti will not be Real manager next season, you can probably guarantee it if Chelsea knock them out of the Champions League. So who will it be? Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino are the big names, whilst Real’s legendary striker Raul Gonzalez is also reportedly of strong consideration.

How Pogba fits in a more up-tempo system is up for debate but a happy and healthy Pogba has never been afraid to put the work in. Plus every system calls for a player who excels on the ball and acts as the team’s metronome. With his wide rang of passing and outrageous close control, Pogba could be perfect in that role. Luka Modric and Toni Kroos remain exceptional players, but they are 36 and 32 respectively. At 29, Pogba might be the perfect bridge until someone like Eduardo Camavinga is ready to take the role full-time.

The pressure in Madrid is more intense than in Manchester, but he would not be the primary focus of that pressure. That will be heaped onto the shoulders of Mbappe, and sharing the spotlight might not be the worst thing for Pogba.

Juventus Pogba remains the pinnacle Pogba, even despite his exploits with the French national team at the 2018 World Cup. Under Antonio Conte and then Max Allegri, Pogba shone as the left-sided central midfielder in a back-three system, 4-3-3 or diamond. Since leaving, Pogba has spoken very fondly of his time with Juventus and how loved he felt in Turin.

Juve are an intriguing proposition but they are a bit of a strange place. They were knocked out of the Champions League by Villarreal and despite an improvement in form they remain seven points off league leaders AC Milan with eight games to go. And Allegri isn’t exactly thrilling fans with the style of football being played in his return.

The 4-4-2 Allegri has employed has, let’s be polite and say had mixed results, but Pogba could be an interesting option as the left-sided player. Adrien Rabiot has filled that role a lot in a system that sometimes see Alvaro Morata drop wider and the Frenchman go inside. It’s something that might work really well for Pogba, it’s somewhere he’s often flourished when played there for United.

The problem with Juventus is two-fold. Firstly, after the failures of some high-profile free transfers recently (hello Aaron Ramsey) are they going to want to pay Pogba a lot of money? Secondly, there is a small chance Allegri is gone next season and even if he stays, there doesn’t appear to be a clear tactical plan for how the club moves forward.

Did someone say clear tactical plan? We are now around four and a half months into the Xavi Hernandez era and it is very clear how he wants his team to play. It is a 4-3-3 with a mixture of ball retention and selected pressing, a hybrid of the system he played in under Pep Guardiola and some of the modern tactical innovations.

Barcelona are reportedly set to add a number of players on free transfers this summer (Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie) so Pogba would appeal, even if he probably would be able to earn more elsewhere. The problem for Pogba is that the Barcelona midfield room is a crowded one. Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets are the nailed on starters at this time. Throw in Kessie as well as talented youngsters Gavi and Nico and you feel as if Pogba might start struggling for playing time.

But as Pogba prepares to enter his 30s this could be exactly what he needs. Xavi is already looking like a brilliant tactical mind and if Pogba arrives at Barcelona you would imagine his new manager would have a good idea of how to use him. In the 4-3-3 he employs, Xavi encourages his midfielders to get forward, you look at the way De Jong and Pedri get close to the striker it’s easy to see Pogba thriving in that system.

If he is willing to sacrifice a little bit of playing time (ironically ensuring he is always fresh when he gets on the field) this could be the perfect fit for Pogba.

However if money (and to be fair playing in his home country and specifically the city he grew up in) is the most important factor then PSG are the obvious choice. To be fair to Pogba, the allure of playing at home is not one to be dispensed with lightly.

But it’s hard to see any logical reason to join PSG from a footballing perspective. Pochettino will almost certainly be gone, and there is no real indication as to who might take over. Mbappe will go, there are rumblings that Lionel Messi might want out too, no-one really seems to know what’s going on with Neymar.

Pogba may feel as if he can be the missing piece in the puzzle, and who knows he may be right, but history suggests that PSG are never just “one piece” away, such is the level of seemingly never-ending dysfunction that exists within the club.

Until PSG can prove themselves to be a well-run operation it’s hard to see why a player would take a chance on them, at least from a purely on the pitch perspective.

So according to some vague reports “two Premier League clubs” are in touch with Pogba’s representatives. Which you can run through the “transfer nonsense translation” machine to come out with something like “Mino Raiola tells journalist some Premier League clubs are interested but he won’t say who because either the interest isn’t concrete enough or just for the lols".

According to Twitter (I know what a way to start a sentence), the clubs are two of Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur. So you know, a dartboard.

Pogba doesn’t like the English press and he doesn’t like the English weather. It seems counterintuitive to stay in England even if he falls in love with the idea of living in London, being rejuvenated by Guardiola or earning a boat-load of cash in the North-East.

Like PSG, staying in England just seems like a sideways move for Pogba. He is a supremely talented footballer who deserves to be playing in an environment that brings the best out of him. Now more than ever, that environment feels like it is in Spain.