Paul Pogba has been urged by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to replicate the leadership qualities he showed with France when he returns for Manchester United.

The 27-year-old midfielder has made just eight appearances in all competitions for United this term and has been out since December, having undergone ankle surgery in the new year.

However, he is ready to return when United resume their Premier League campaign at Tottenham on Friday after the coronavirus-enforced break.

Pogba's form has been indifferent since he returned to Old Trafford for a then-world record fee of £89.3million in 2016, yet his quality and leadership attributes were evident when he played a key role in Les Bleus' triumph at Russia 2018.

"Paul has had his difficult season this year with loads of injuries but I can see his mentality and focus now that he is fit and training and available, that he is ready to play again and to prove," Solskjaer told a news conference.

"He has always had quality, Paul. He is one of the best midfielders in the world so hopefully we can get that going as soon as possible.

"I want the same from Paul as from all the others.

"Paul is one of the best midfielders in the world so we expect him to gradually improve as he gets more and more game time.

"Gradually over these next few months we can work him up back to his best. Paul has had a very good career. He is a World Cup winner and we want to have that leadership on the pitch as well.

"I am very happy with the squad. The five of them [midfielders], any of them would be capable of playing a full season at Man United and being a regular so it's given me, not a problem, but a nice challenge to choose and pick the right ones when they are in the right form when they are against the right opponents.

"Paul getting back fit can only help us because he does have qualities that no one else has."