Manchester United have been here before. The buzzword of Sir Alex Ferguson's autobiography was 'control' but there were occasions that even the authority of that totalitarian figure was tested to its very limits.
High-profile cases came during Roy Keane's pursuit of a new contract at the turn of the millennium, Cristiano Ronaldo's highly-charged desire to join Real Madrid in the summer of 2006 and then, most acutely, Wayne Rooney's public attempts to force a way out of Old Trafford in 2010.
On each occasion, Ferguson allowed his players to secure victories. Keane's terms improved, Ronaldo had mediation with Rooney after wink-gate at the 2006 World Cup and Rooney signed an extortionate new contract at United despite publicly questioning the club's ambition.
In the case of Paul Pogba all is not lost. The question is whether he is worth the indulgence
Pogba uploaded several photos onto his Instagram page from his recent tour to Asia
In the case of Paul Pogba, then, all is not lost. The question, however, is whether he is worth the indulgence. The trio of Keane, Ronaldo and Rooney strained Ferguson's blood pressure but what followed justified the angst.
As things stand, United are standing firm. They have told Pogba he will not be leaving the club this summer and this is why the player has taken to publicly agitating for a transfer.
His agent Mino Raiola does not, as we well know, care much for a player's reputation if it bolsters their bank balance and it will certainly be interesting to see the extent of Pogba's personal contortions this summer as he seeks his transfer to Real Madrid or Juventus. Do not yet rule out a new and improved contract at Old Trafford if it suits Raiola.
Appearances: 47
Goals: 16
Assists: 11
Pogba is a peculiar character. Those who share a dressing room or spend extended time in his company tend to be very fond of him. They believe he is driven character with a light sense of humour.
His colleagues in his French national team speak with a sense of awe about Pogba's rousing team-talk that foreshadowed the World Cup final victory over Croatia. Yet from a distance, the constant stream of look-at-me antics is draining United supporters and a section of followers are now keen to cut the cord.
Pogba, rather strangely, considers last season to be his finest campaign. The numbers - sixteen goals, eleven assists - would appear to back up his cause. But take a closer look. Eight of his strikes were penalties. Against the top seven teams in the Premier League, he did not score a goal. Nine of his goals arrived during an eleven-match hot streak that coincided with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's arrival as manager.
