Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has claimed that Paul Pogba would not be a major loss for the club if they allowed him to leave.

The 26-year-old appeared set for the exit door during the summer after admitting that he would be interested in a move away, while his agent Mino Raiola stoked the flames amid continued speculation linking him with Real Madrid.

United were ultimately able to hang on to their record signing, although uncertainty continues to swirl around his long-term future and Scholes suggested that the club should allow him to leave.

"I think it's quite clear he wants to leave the club. He wanted to move to Real Madrid [in the summer] and for whatever reason it didn't happen," Scholes told talkSPORT.

"If they ask him to stay for a year then we'll see what happens. But I don't think it will be a big loss to United [if he does go].

"At the end of the day his form hasn't been great anyway over the last three or three years he's been there. I'm sure there's more players there who can step in and do just as good a job."

United are understood to be attempting to tie Pogba, who has also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, down to a new contract at Old Trafford, with his current deal expiring in 2021.