Paul Pogba will have cost Manchester United £179.6 million ($242.6m) in transfer fee and wages by the time his Old Trafford contract expires at the end of June. He now has less than six months to deliver some kind of value for money by helping his drifting club salvage something tangible in the Premier League or Champions League from their dismal season.

When you break down the financial hit of Pogba's time at United since he returned to the club from Juventus in a then-world record £89.1m ($120.3m) deal in 2016, there are no positive numbers.

The France midfielder's 213 first-team appearances have come at a cost of £84,319.25 ($113,907.66) per game and his 38 goals have been scored at a pretty expensive rate of £4,726,315.79 ($6.384m) each. And the two major trophies that Pogba has helped United win during almost six years at the club — the Carabao Cup and Europa League in 2017 — come in at £89.8m ($121.3m) apiece.

Had the 28-year-old contributed to a Premier League title or Champions League triumph, the enormous financial outlay on his fee and reported £290,000-a-week ($391,000) wages may just have been worth it. But as the clock ticks down on the final months of his time at United before he is expected to leave as a free agent in the summer, it is impossible to suggest that the move has paid off for club or player, unless you want to factor in the boost to the social media followings of both parties during their time together.