Manchester United may have to sell Paul Pogba but he "won't be a miss" if he carries on playing like he has started the 2020-21 season, according to former Red Devils striker Dimitar Berbatov.
Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola offered an explosive interview on Monday as he declared his client’s time at the club was over. United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer then started the midfielder from the bench in their crucial Champions League clash with RB Leipzig the following day, which they lost 3-2.
The French midfielder has long been linked with leaving Old Trafford, and Berbatov feels now is the time to cut ties after Raiola's "embarrassing" intervention.
Berbatov told Betfair: "Mino Raiola's comments about Paul Pogba being unhappy were very poorly timed, right before a massive match in the Champions League. That isn't ideal and I'm sure it would have been felt in the dressing room before the game.
"I don't think Pogba would have known what Raiola was about to say, which is embarrassing for the player. At the end of the day the agent is working for the player, so the agent should do what the player tells him, it doesn't matter who you are - you work for the player.
"It was the wrong way to do things, it created a big fuss which was totally unnecessary before a match. On the other hand, if Pogba did tell his agent to say those things then it's obvious that something isn't quite right.
"I can understand if Paul is not happy, I bet he isn't because he isn't playing, it's obvious, when he comes on as a sub and has very little game time he won't be happy.
"If this situation continues then I think it's best if they part ways because, in the last few games, Solskjaer's lack of confidence in Pogba has been clear.
"At the same time, we do have to take into account that he is coming back into the team after testing positive for coronavirus, so this could also be a factor, but if he is genuinely unhappy and he continues to be left out of the starting XI, then I think it's best for him to move on.
"If he is in his best condition and in his best form then United will miss him, but if he continues in the form he is in then he won't be a miss at Old Trafford."
The loss in Leipzig leaves United in the Europa League, a competition they won in 2017. Berbatov feels they should not regard it as a lesser trophy.
He said: "For me that competition should be up there with the others in their list of priorities. They are sixth in the league now, although they are climbing up the table and still have a lot of games to play. They have a chance to surprise people by making good on what they have in front of them to play for.
"People should take the Europa League seriously because at the end of the day it's a trophy that a team can win, I'm sure when United won it last time the feeling was great."