Former Manchester United mieldfieder, Paul Pogba has set to return to competitive football as from Tuesday as the former France star’s 18-month doping ban expired — but he needs to find a club.
The mieldfieder is hoping to put three chaotic years behind him and is currently searching for a new employer with a view to playing in the 2026 World Cup.
The 91-times capped midfielder suffered repeated injuries and patchy form that led to his departure from Old Trafford in 2022. He returned for a second stint at Juventus, where problems continued to dog him.
However, a failed drugs test after a game in Italy in August 2023 resulted in a four-year doping ban which was later reduced to 18 months on appeal.
Pogba blamed a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States for the positive test.
With this development, Juventus terminated his contract last November, but Pogba “is training at 1,000 percent, he’s in good spirits, he has received many offers”, a member of his entourage insisted.
Pogba’s ultimate dream remains next year World Cup, but a player who turns 32 this week would first have to convince France coach Didier Deschamps.
He is in a good relationship with Deschamps, “one of his advisors for sporting decisions”, according to one of the player’s close friends.
But who could be interested in signing a player whose last match dates back to September 3, 2023 when he lined up Juventus?
In January of this year, Pogba said on social media he had received “proposals, not very interesting stuff”, such as “going to play in Russia, but that’s not the goal”.
A contract, he admitted, “doesn’t depend on me, but on a lot of other things”.
Pogba lives in Florida and was in the stands for Inter’s first MLS match this season, against New York City on February 23. He is working on his physical condition with the fitness coach of Lionel Messi, the team’s Argentinian superstar.
This sparks speculations that the mieldfieder could join Inter Miami of David Beckham
Pogba has been sharing photos of his intensive training sessions with his 62.7 million Instagram followers, along with fashion shots, his other passion.
French club Marseille are also reported to be interested with football director Medhi Benatia having played alongside Pogba at Juventus.
But Marseille may not want to take the risk of enlisting a player whose form will be uncertain after such a long absence.
Pogba’s personal life has also been through a turbulent period — he was the victim of a kidnapping and extortion case in 2022 for which his brother Mathias and five of his childhood friends received prison terms.
“I can finally turn the page on this extremely painful period,” Pogba said after the trial ended in December last year.
“This conclusion is an opportunity for everyone to focus on the future.”
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