This archive report was first published on 3 August 2019.
Manchester United's pre-season friendly against AC Milan in Cardiff has taken a hit with the news that Paul Pogba has been pulled out of the match due to a back spasm.
According to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Pogba suffered the same issue he had last week when he missed a session in Norway, but is expected to be available early next week.
The 26-year-old Frenchman has been at the centre of transfer speculation this summer, with both Real Madrid and his former club Juventus linked with a move for him.
At the end of last season, Pogba cited his desire to pursue another challenge, three years after rejoining United from Juventus, but so far no bid has been forthcoming to United, who agreed an £80million deal for Leicester City defender Harry Maguire on Friday.
United have been in talks with Juventus over a deal for Romelu Lukaku, who remains desperate to leave the club, while Inter Milan remain interested in the Belgian forward.
United's 24-man squad to face Milan includes David De Gea, Sergio Romero, and a host of other players, but Pogba's absence is a significant blow to the team.
