'He is okay... if you paid €20m for him' - Eamon Dunphy backs Paul Scholes' criticism of Pogba

Paul Pogba

Eamon Dunphy has rowed in behind Paul Scholes after Jose Mourinho blasted the Man United legend over his criticism of Paul Pogba.

Scholes offered a tough assessment of Pogba's contribution to the Man United team, saying that he has to impose himself more on games given his stature.

Mourinho responded by saying that all Scholes does is criticise players, but speaking on Game On on RTE's 2FM last night, Dunphy defended the Red Devils great.

"Paul is right, he is telling the truth but there are an awful lot of hype merchants in the media," Dunphy said.

"BT Sport commentator Owen Hargreaves describes Pogba as a great player - he is not. I think Paul Scholes is right and as for Mourinho saying there is a difference between commentary and criticism - there isn't.

"Commentary involves sometimes praise, sometimes criticism. The thing that is unique about Paul Scholes is that he has been very frank and honest since he began as a pundit. He is not trying to curry favour with anybody. Most of the guys that I see are trying to give the Pogba issue a swerve."

Dunphy has been a regular critic of Pogba since he was signed by Juventus in the summer of 2016, and used last night as another opportunity to question the huge price tag that was placed on the French star.

"Graeme Souness had a piece in the Sunday Times a few weeks ago when Pogba was suspended and the headline was 'Man United would be better off without Pogba'," Dunphy said.

"Imagine saying City would be better off without David Silva? He is okay... if you paid €20m for him. He is on the fringes of game. He hits these 40-yard passes that are like lasers but by the time they get there, the defenders are there. They look better than they are.

"He doesn't really have a football brain, if you look at the positions he takes up. He is never going to get you more than ten goals a year. Why would you pay ninety million for him?"