The news that Paul Pogba wants to sign a new contract at Manchester United will be welcome news for under-fire boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The hierarchy at the Red Devils must now meet the Frenchman’s wage demands if they are to help the beleaguered manager to get his reign at Old Trafford back on track.
Solskjaer’s side have won just two of their last six games, being defeated by Young Boys, Aston Villa and West Ham in that spell.
They also only just squeezed past Villarreal in their second Champions League group game, with United forced to rely on Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a 95th minute winner.
The latest disappointing result came in their last Premier League outing, when Solskjaer rested both Ronaldo and Pogba for the visit of Everton.
The decision did not work out, though Edinson Cavani had put United ahead, Andros Townsend scored on the counter-attack to secure a point for the Toffees.
The dropping of two of his key players has seen the pressure ramp up on Solskjaer, with fans growing restless at his management.
The Norwegian is yet to win a trophy heading into what is his third full season in charge at Old Trafford.
United can help to relieve some of that pressure though by quickly tying Pogba down to the new contract that he reportedly wants.
French newspaper L’Equipe report the midfielder has told those close to him that he wants to extend his stay at United.
His contract is set to expire at the end of this season, with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain understood to be keen to sign him.
Pogba has become one of Solskjaer’s most important players, evidenced by the move to play him on the left wing just to get him into the Red Devils’ line up.
He has started this season in remarkable form, notching seven assists in seven Premier League games.
But more of his potential can be unlocked when the Red Devils buy a new defensive midfielder, as is widely expected.
Pogba has thrived in a 4-3-3 formation for France, with Solskjaer set to implement such a system if he is able to bring in a new holding player.
But before that, United must agree to a new deal with the Frenchman to keep one of their manager’s most important players at the club.
To do so, they will have to make him one of the Premier League’s highest-paid players, with Pogba understood to be demanding a weekly wage of £400,000.
That should not be a figure that United baulk at, with Pogba’s important to the side clearly deserving of such status.
Tying him down to a new contract will also deliver a welcome boost to the beleaguered Solskjaer, and could be the first step to getting his reign back on track.