Former Chelsea Boss Mauricio Pochettino says player Manchester United sold for £17M in 2019 is now an absolute world class and has turned into a beast.
Mauricio Pochettino has set the football world buzzing with a powerful remark about a former Premier League misfit who has risen to global stardom. The Argentine manager didn’t hold back his emotions as he reflected on how a player once deemed surplus to requirements was sold for just £17 million — and is now being celebrated as one of the very best in the world.
In a recent interview, Pochettino expressed disbelief over how carelessly the player was offloaded, saying it was a foolish decision by the club involved. Though he didn’t directly mention any team, fans immediately began piecing together clues. The general consensus? He was referring to Moussa Diaby. The French winger was let go by Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 and joined Bayer Leverkusen in a deal that flew under the radar at the time. Fast forward to today, and Diaby is not only a key figure in the French national team but also a Premier League star with Aston Villa, where he’s consistently outshining defenders and delivering game-changing performances.
But Diaby isn’t the only name being linked to Pochettino’s statement. Serge Gnabry, once dismissed by Arsenal and ridiculed during a loan spell at West Brom, has since become a Champions League winner with Bayern Munich and one of Germany’s most feared attackers. While Pochettino’s exact subject remains unconfirmed, both players exemplify a recurring pattern — clubs giving up on young talents too quickly, only to watch them flourish elsewhere.
Pochettino’s candid remarks have reignited conversations about rash transfer decisions and the importance of patience in player development. Many fans are expressing frustration over how their clubs have allowed future stars to slip away, while scouts and former managers are no doubt reconsidering past choices. Whether he meant Diaby, Gnabry, or someone else entirely, the core of Pochettino’s message is loud and clear: selling a young player without fully exploring their potential can come back to haunt you.
