Manchester United star Paul Pogba considered the joint-best defensive midfielder in the world

Manchester United‘s record signing Paul Pogba is the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League and the joint-best in the world.

That’s according to CIES Football Observatory who have ranked the best players across the top five leagues in football.

Pogba tops the list alongside Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara even though the French international is not seen as a defensive midfielder.

Pogba has played mostly in a central midfielder position at United since returning in the summer as he is expected to be a key provider in Jose Mourinho’s side.

The 23-year-old has hit his stride in recent months after a stop-start beginning and has created 37 chances in the Premier League.

Despite his obvious attacking abilities, CIES rank him in the defensive midfield section despite having attacking midfield rankings.

Pogba pips club team-mate Ander Herrera to top spot by just a point who has been taking on a more defensive role under Mourinho.

And just to top it all off, Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson ranks above Chelsea star N’Golo Kante.

CIES’ rankings are based on players who have played 900 league minutes for their club.

Jose Mourinho: Manchester United will see the best of Paul Pogba next season

Jose Mourinho has assured Manchester United fans that the best of Paul Pogba will be next season.

Pogba, 23, provided an assist in United's 3-1 Boxing Day defeat of Sunderland, his third of the Premier League campaign, a tally he has matched in top-flight goals this season. His improved statistics suggest the world's most expensive footballer seems to finally be settling into life at Old Trafford after the upheaval of last summer's switch from Juventus.

Mourinho, however, feels 2017-18 will be the season in which Pogba's talent truly flourishes. 

"The Premier League is very difficult. You play three, four years in Italy and you come to the Premier League and the world is completely different," Mourinho said. "He's doing well, he's doing more than well. His evolution is clear. So I can imagine that next season for Paul will be top."

Pogba came 14th in the Ballon d'Or vote for 2016, some way behind his France teammate Antoine Griezmann, who finished third, and winner Cristiano Ronaldo.

Very few of the players who finished ahead of him are not strikers, and Mourinho believes Pogba will only fulfil the ambition of winning the Ballon d'Or if footballers' contributions to their team are judged differently. 

"At the moment, if you're not a goal scorer, you cannot win the Ballon d'Or. But if the perception changes, then Paul can win it, because Paul is not a goal scorer. "

"Paul is a midfielder who will score more and more goals, because I think he has good conditions to score goals. Paul is a midfielder, in my opinion, the best, the best in the world. Obviously, he's young, he can still improve, he wants to improve, which is even better.

"He has an agent who, in my opinion, is great for the player, because he's not the typical agent who puts the player on the moon. He demands a lot from the player. He wants the player to be better and better all the time. So I think he has everything around him to be a great player."

Manchester United face St Etienne in Europa League, Spurs play Gent

The first legs will take place on Feb. 16, with the second legs on Feb. 23.

Manchester United will take on St Etienne in the Europa League's round of 32, while Tottenham Hotspur will face Gent and Villarreal have been drawn against Roma.

United, who finished second in their group behind Fenerbahce, come up against a side sitting eighth in Ligue 1 as they attempt to win the trophy for the first time in their history.

The two sides have met twice before in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1977, with United emerging victorious over the two legs with a 3-1 win.

Paul Pogba could come up against his older brother over the tie, with Florentin Pogba a defender for St Etienne.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba's brother Florentin plays for St Etienne.

Spurs' Champions League campaign ended in disappointment after they could only finish third in their group, but they will hope to make more of a mark on the Europa League this term, starting with their tie against Belgian side Gent.

Roma's reward for topping their group is a tricky tie against Villarreal.

Roma, who remained unbeaten throughout the group stage and who currently sit second in Serie A, have been drawn against a Villarreal side that finished second in their pool behind Osmanlispor and who lie sixth in La Liga.

Borussia Monchengladbach, who finished third behind Barcelona and Manchester City in their Champions League group, have been handed a tough test against Serie A club Fiorentina.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva, who qualified at the expense of Southampton and Inter Milan, will play Turkish club Besiktas.

Antoine Griezmann: I want to play alongside Paul Pogba at club level. Good news for United supporters?

Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba in France squad.

Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann says he would like to play alongside France teammate and Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba at club level in the future.

Griezmann and Pogba, currently away on international duty with France, have posted a number of photographs together on social media recently, with one on Tuesday showing them sat on the back of a golf buggy, with the caption: "End of the day, we go back to the castle.''

It has been reported that United are looking to sign Griezmann next summer as manager Jose Mourinho seeks to strengthen his attacking options, and the presence of Pogba at Old Trafford could help to lure the Atletico player to the Premier League.

"I always ask Paul Pogba about Manchester United," Griezmann told Sky Sport News in Germany.

"I think they are a huge club with a really good infrastructure. I ask Paul about some of the players, and if they're really that good, or if Jose Mourinho is really that good.

"You hear a lot of things [speculation] about Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain but right now I don't see me moving to a new club. But it would be awesome to play alongside Paul one day.''

A source close to United told ESPN FC in the summer that the club were interested in bringing Griezmann to Old Trafford.

Photos: Manchester United squad at Unicef dinner

Memphis Depay, Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan

In the wake of the disappointing 0-0 draw with Burnley last Saturday, Manchester United squad were in high spirits at a charity dinner on Monday night, the 17th annual United for Unicef gala dinner.

Mourinho donates his watch for auction at the annual United for UNICEF dinner at Old Trafford

Mourinho auctioned off the clothes he was wearing when he was unveiled as United's new manager in July - before taking off his watch to auction as a special last-minute lot.

Mourinho said: "Charity is one of the amazing things in society and I have always been very supportive of Unicef. You know that the money is going to the right place and is going to make a big difference.

"Tonight the money is going to help children in Thailand so we know that we are going to contribute to a better future - I think it is difficult to have a better feeling than that."

'The Mourinho Collection' raised more than £30,000 with the evening producing more than £215,000 in funds for Unicef.

But while there was a serious side to the occasion, Manchester United forward Memphis Depay entertained his followers on Snapchat with some hilarious images and videos.

The Dutchman used filters to poke fun at himself and team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan and also got into the Halloween spirit by turning Marouane Fellaini into a vampire bat!

He also mocked Paul Pogba for spilling some drink on his dinner suit.

Other members of the first-team squad in attendance included forwards Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney and Marcus Rashford - who was celebrating his 19th birthday.

Former Germany international Bastian Schweinsteiger was also present on the day he trained with the first-team squad for the first time this season.

 

Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Timothy Fosu-Mensah

Wayne Rooney arrives at the annual United for UNICEF dinner at Old Trafford

Photos: Manchester United squad at Unicef dinner

Memphis Depay, Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan arrive at the annual United for UNICEF dinner at Old Trafford

In the wake of the frustrating 0-0 draw with Burnley last Saturday, Jose Mourinho and the Manchester United squad appear in high spirits at a charity dinner on Monday night, the 17th annual United for Unicef gala dinner.

Mourinho donates his watch for auction at the annual United for UNICEF dinner at Old Trafford

Mourinho auctioned off the clothes he was wearing when he was unveiled as United's new manager in July - before taking off his watch to auction as a special last-minute lot.

Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Timothy Fosu-Mensah arrive at the annual United for UNICEF dinner at Old Trafford

Mourinho said: "Charity is one of the amazing things in society and I have always been very supportive of Unicef. You know that the money is going to the right place and is going to make a big difference.

"Tonight the money is going to help children in Thailand so we know that we are going to contribute to a better future - I think it is difficult to have a better feeling than that."

'The Mourinho Collection' raised more than £30,000 with the evening producing more than £215,000 in funds for Unicef.

But while there was a serious side to the occasion, Manchester United forward Memphis Depay entertained his followers on Snapchat with some hilarious images and videos.

The Dutchman used filters to poke fun at himself and team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan and also got into the Halloween spirit by turning Marouane Fellaini into a vampire bat!

He also mocked Paul Pogba for spilling some drink on his dinner suit.

Other members of the first-team squad in attendance included forwards Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney and Marcus Rashford - who was celebrating his 19th birthday.

Former Germany international Bastian Schweinsteiger was also present on the day he trained with the first-team squad for the first time this season.