The 32-year-old joined the Ligue 1 club last summer, after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 19 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

Pogba’s last competitive appearance came in September 2023, when he featured for Juventus in a Serie A match against Empoli.

The former Manchester United midfielder has been given time to build up his fitness in Monaco and had been earmarked for selection against Lens on 8 November, only for an ankle injury to postpone his debut.

However, Pogba has been named in Monaco’s squad to face Rennes on Saturday.

“We try to help him reach his full potential so that the team comes out on top,” Monaco manager Sebastien Pocognoli said of Pogba on Friday.

“He has the qualities to adapt to what we want to implement in midfield – he hasn’t lost his vision or his technique.

“[He will bring] experience and leadership, both on and off the pitch, not to mention his qualities, which will need to adapt to the pace of competition.”

Pogba was provisionally banned from football for four years after a positive test for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in February 2024, following a doping test in August 2023.

Pogba maintained it was a mistake and that he was given a supplement without knowing it contained a banned substance.

The France international, a 2018 World Cup winner, was permitted to return to football in March following the decision to reduce his ban.

Should Pogba make his Monaco debut against Rennes, it would be his first ever Ligue 1 appearance.

He came through the ranks at Le Havre, but joined Manchester United before making a senior appearance for the club.

Pogba joined Juventus on a free transfer in 2012, before returning to Old Trafford in a then world record £89m four years later.

He went back to Juventus following the expiry of his six-year deal with United in 2022, but made just 12 appearances before his contract was mutually terminated.

Pogba scored as France beat Croatia 4-2 in the 2018 World Cup final.

When that was reduced on appeal to 18 months in October, the ‘if’ was taken out of the equation. The ‘when’ remained partially unanswered, but it was then the ‘where’ that was on everyone’s lips.

When an emotional Pogba put pen to paper on a two-year deal in the quaint village of La Turbie at the end of June, we had our answer.

Having not played since September 2023, it was AS Monaco who offered the 32-year-old a route back into the professional game, although they were far from the only interested party – even if clubs did bide their time following the expiry of his ban in March.

There were links to the United States, Saudi Arabia and Japan, as well as teams in his native France.

“We thought about [signing Pogba], we wanted to do it,” said Marseille sporting director Medhi Benatia in February. “The problem is, if we want to bring in a Pogba, who is not yet fit, does it make sense to alter the balance?”

Benatia didn’t rule out his side making an approach but ultimately, because of significant doubts about the player’s fitness, they didn’t.

Monaco did. Pogba’s availability for no fee, following the termination of his Juventus contract, was not inconsequential to the principality club’s decision – even if, as Monaco chief executive Thiago Scuro pointed out, “free agents have salaries too”.

Amid a financial crisis that has gripped the French game, Monaco, like everyone, are attentive to market opportunities, of which Pogba was certainly one of the most tempting.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Pogba, who left Le Havre aged 16 to join Manchester United’s academy, has never played domestic professional football in France

Pogba’s signing was more symbolic of a shifting strategy at Monaco, one targeting the squad’s age profile.

They prioritise providing a pathway into the first team for their academy products, with Maghnes Akliouche, Eliesse Ben Seghir and Soungoutou Magassa recently making the step up.

They also recruit young. George Ilenikhena, Christian Mawissa and Lamine Camara were Monaco’s most expensive summer recruits last season – none were above the age of 20.

In the same summer, two of the most experienced players, Wissam Ben Yedder and Guillermo Maripan, left.

By January, Scuro saw a need to adjust.

“My understanding is that, in the summer, with the goals that we have, we were becoming too young,” said the Brazilian.

“The next step that we see is getting the performance players on board. That is the challenge.”

Attempts to sign England midfielder Jordan Henderson from Ajax failed in January. Moatasem Al-Musrati arrived instead on loan, but Monaco did not trigger an option to buy the Libyan.

Monaco’s pursuit of Pogba was more recent, with ‘La Pioche’ visiting the club’s installations in mid-May, meeting with manager Adi Hutter and president Dmitry Rybolovlev.

Former England defender Eric Dier, another experienced head, also arrived for free this summer from Bayern Munich.

“We want to keep our [youth-centric] strategy, balance it a little but not step away from it,” added Scuro.

Pogba expected to return in October

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Pogba travelled with the squad but did not feature on the pitch during Monaco’s pre-season trip to England

Monaco view Pogba as a player who can help the group mature through his vast experience and natural leadership qualities, which have already been evident during a seamless integration process.

He quickly forged a strong link with the older and younger elements of the squad during Les Monegasques’ pre-season training camp in England.

While Pogba’s positive impact has been felt in the dressing room, it is hoped it will also be felt, in time, on the pitch – even if there may not be an over-reliance on the Frenchman.

Bar Paris St-Germain, it can be argued, prior to Pogba’s arrival, Monaco already had the best midfield in Ligue 1.

He is therefore something of a wildcard, a bonus, but not a player the club will need to rush back out of necessity.

That suits, because Pogba is far from operational. At the start of June, the midfielder revealed an “ambition” to play against his formative club, Le Havre, on the opening day of the season.

But Scuro quickly tempered expectations.

“I can guarantee he won’t be on the pitch against Le Havre. We are here to be realistic. We expect a three-month process,” he said.

That would have Pogba on course to play his first professional match in more than two years around the start of October.

‘It is very rare to see me cry like that’

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Pogba says he wants his kids to see him celebrate a goal with his iconic dab

Monaco and the rest of Ligue 1 will look to benefit from Pogba’s profile in the meantime.

At the time of his presentation, more than half of the Monaco shirts ordered were printed with the World Cup winner’s name, while social media content surrounding his arrival gained 400 million impressions.

Rennes manager Habib Beye and Brest manager Eric Roy have praised the signing, as has the president of the league, Vincent Labrune.

“The league will benefit not only from his talent and his charisma, but also from his international standing,” he said.

Monaco will also stand to benefit on the pitch, should Pogba prove to be the player of old, but there is no guarantee.

Even before his ban the Frenchman had been dogged by injury issues for months, even years, and even admitted to seeing a witch doctor about them.

Pogba was forced to make that admission following accusations from his brother, Mathias, that he had used a witch doctor to place a curse on Kylian Mbappe before PSG’s Champions League last-16 tie against Manchester United in 2019.

Those accusations were part of a wider extortion attempt that dates back to the midfielder’s time at Old Trafford.

In March 2022 he was kidnapped by masked men, who demanded a payment of 13m euros (£11.3m). His brother was sentenced to a three-year prison term, two years of which were suspended.

Pogba believed that difficult chapter impacted him on the pitch.

“It is all linked,” he said at his presentation, which he began by explaining his tears upon signing for Monaco.

“If the mind is good, it will go well on the pitch. It is very rare to see me cry like that, so I hope you enjoyed it. There were so many images that came into my mind.

“We know the doping story, my injury… everything came back to me during the signing and I just couldn’t hold it back. It was a moment of joy.”

Clearly marked by an unsavoury spell in the footballing wilderness, Pogba has now turned the page in his career and is eager to enjoy a fresh start.

“I spoke with multiple people [during my ban] who helped me to see things in the present, to not think about the past or the future,” he added.

Now “more determined”, Pogba has extra motivation, too, for his comeback.

“I wanted my kids to see me on the pitch – my dream is to see my kids celebrate one of my goals with a dab,” he joked.

A return to the international set-up is also a major objective, and he couldn’t be in a better place to add to his 91 caps, with France boss Didier Deschamps’ residence just a stone’s throw away from Monaco’s performance centre.

Next summer’s World Cup will be Deschamps’ final tournament after 14 years in charge. Pogba was one of his key players during Les Bleus’ 2018 triumph in Russia and, with a second chance and new lease of life, he could yet be once more.

Pogba was handed a four-year doping ban in February 2024 after testing positive for DHEA, which boosts testosterone levels. The suspension was cut to 18 months after a successful appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Italian club Juventus announced in November that they had mutually agreed to terminate his contract, which was due to expire in June 2026.

The 2018 World Cup winner had a disappointing second spell with Juventus due to injuries after returning to the Turin-based club following his departure from Manchester United on a free transfer in 2022.

Pogba was signed by United in 2016 for a then-world record fee of 89 million pounds ($122 million) but the four-times Serie A champion won only two trophies with the Premier League club — the League Cup and Europa League in his first season.

He last played for France in 2022 but knee surgery prevented him from appearing at the World Cup in Qatar.

Monaco finished third behind Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain and Olympique de Marseille last season.

The French World Cup winner, 32, is moving towards a return to his homeland with the Ligue 1 side.

BBC Sport understands discussions have revolved around the midfielder signing a two-year contract with Monaco, who hope to close the deal in the coming days.

Talks have been ongoing for a number of weeks, with Pogba training before pre-season as he plots his return to action.

Pogba was provisionally suspended after being randomly tested following Juventus’ opening game of the 2023-24 season against Udinese.

He later received a four-year ban which was slashed to 18 months in October following an appeal.

He agreed a mutual termination of his contract with Juventus in November and has been free to recommence his career since March.

In the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s final judgement on his case it was confirmed that Pogba did inadvertently take DHEA, a substance that boosts testosterone and is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list.

Crucially, however, the ruling stated that DHEA only has an effect on performance for females.

The former Juventus and Manchester United midfielder was given a four-year ban as a result of a failed doping test that took place in August of 2023, after an away match against Udinese in Serie A.

The 2018 World Cup winner was prohibited from any involvement in professional footballing activity, was forced to train away from the club’s training centre, and eventually had his contract terminated by Juventus in November 2024. The suspension was later reduced, and Pogba has been allowed to return to competitive football since March 2025.

Speaking in an interview with GQ France, Pogba revealed: “I would have quit football had I taken four years. I didn’t want to say it publicly, but that’s what I thought.”

Describing what life was like training away from Continassa while his teammates carried on as normal, he added: “I took the ball and played outside, alone. I made do with what I had. But I didn’t want to stay in Turin. The next morning, I dropped my children off at school, which was right next to the training centre, what a pain …”

And, describing his initial reaction after learning of his four-year suspension, Pogba said: “I didn’t understand. What for? They gave me the maximum sentence, which meant that they didn’t really listen to what I’d told them.”

Pogba’s suspension was later reduced, and he became eligible to play competitively again at the beginning of 2025.

But, how did the Frenchman end up ingesting a prohibited substance, particularly when he has access to top-class facilities and experts in the Juventus medical staff?

“Football is like that today,” columnist Daniel Rioli added.

“All players have services on the side, which they deploy on top of what they do with their clubs. They employ people for their physical preparation, their diet, their mental health, but also for protection, or even a hairdresser or secretary.

“It’s part of the individualism of modern football, but we have to wonder if there was an injury risk when this kind of individualised approach is added to what a club has already said. IF that is the case, Pogba has had a lot of injuries in his career.”

Mathias Pogba will be able to serve his one-year sentence with an electronic bracelet rather than behind bars.

The court also fined Paul Pogba’s brother 20,000 euros for participating in the attempted extortion of 13 million euros ($13.5 million) from Pogba in 2022, and for putting pressure on the player, his family and his business contacts to obtain the payment.

The case involving six men linked to Paul Pogba has shocked the French football world because the alleged perpetrators included three childhood friends and Pogba’s own brother.

The five other defendants were found guilty of extortion, kidnapping and detention, as well as participation in a criminal association, and sentenced to up to eight years in prison, as well as fines of between 20,000 euros and 40,000 euros.

Roushdane K., considered to be the mastermind of the case and the only person to appear in custody, was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment.

Mathias Pogba’s lawyer Mbeko Tabula said the ruling was “extremely harsh,” adding he planned to appeal.

“He’s obviously in a state of shock,” he said of his client.

“From the outset, he has maintained his innocence, saying that he was manipulated, that he was coerced, that he was pressured, that he would never have acted negatively towards his brother.”

Mathias was the one to go public in the case, publishing a video on social media in August 2022 promising revelations about his younger brother that were “likely to be explosive”.

Pogba told French investigators he had in March 2022 been “tricked by childhood friends” from the gritty Paris suburb where he and Mathias grew up.

He accused them of snatching him before he was held at gunpoint by two hooded men with assault rifles, demanding 13 million euros for “services rendered” and blaming him for not helping them financially.

Pogba said at the time that he had paid them only 100,000 euros.

The 31-year-old was given a four-year ban in February for a doping offence – but in October that was reduced to 18 months, starting from his initial provisional ban in September 2023.

Sources close to Pogba told BBC Sport he can resume training in January and will be eligible to play again from March.

The France midfielder will now be free to join a new club in the January transfer window.

“The club wishes Paul the very best for his professional future,” said Juventus.

Pogba said: “It has been a privilege to pull on the shirt of the Bianconeri and to share so many special moments together.

“I cherish the memories we made. They live on.

“Even in the most difficult moments over the past year, your support was crucial and I want to thank Juve fans around the world for their compassion.

“I am looking forward to the next chapter of my career and to stepping out on the pitch with my next club.”

Before the ban Pogba had been earning £6.9m a year at the Italian club on a contract running until June 2026.

Juventus were thought to have cut his salary to about £2,000 a month, as part of a collective agreement between clubs and the players’ union.

Pogba has not played much football in recent years. He managed just 162 minutes across five appearances during the 2022-23 season, and had played a total of 51 minutes as a substitute last season before his suspension.

The ban reduction – and now his exit from Juventus – gives him the chance to restart his career next year.

Pogba started out at Manchester United before moving to Juventus, where he won Serie A in each of his first four seasons – including two Doubles.

He then returned to Old Trafford for a world-record £89m in 2016, and in his first season won the Europa League and FA Cup.

Pogba, who has 91 caps for France, then helped Les Bleus to 2018 World Cup glory, scoring in the final as they beat Croatia 4-2 in Russia.

Injuries and a lack of form interrupted his final three seasons at Manchester United, and he failed to excel on his return as a free agent to Juve.

Pogba’s four-year ban was reduced to 18 months earlier this month after the Court of Arbitration for Sport accepted his ingestion of a banned substance “was not intentional”.

The 31-year-old was suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal (Nado) in February after a drugs test found elevated levels of testosterone – a hormone that increases endurance – in his system.

“This is not me, I’m not a cheater,” Pogba told Sky Sports.

“I’m someone that loves my sport, I love the game and I would never, ever cheat. I like to win fairly.

“I’m a bad loser but I’m not a cheater.”

The reduced ban started from 11 September 2023, with sources close to the Pogba telling BBC Sport that he can resume training in January and will be eligible to play again from March.

“I take some responsibility because I took the supplement, ” Pogba added.

“I didn’t triple check, let’s say it like that, even if it came from a professional. If I have to be punished, I am fine with it, but it should never be four years.”

Pogba joined Juventus, reuniting with the Italian club in July 2022 after his contract at Manchester United expired.

He featured just 12 times across all competitions after returning to Turin, with injuries restricting his gametime in 2022-23, while he played just twice last season before he was pulled for the positive test.

Pogba remains under contract with Juventus, his deal is set to expire in the summer of 2026, and is looking forward to getting back to training with the rest of the squad.

“I would just like to be on the pitch, any pitch,” Pogba said.

“First it’s with Juventus. I want to be on the training with teammates, it’s tough to be alone, playing passes on to the wall.

“My main focus is to get back training, be fit and to be on the pitch doing what I love.”

​​​​​​​‘More determination and motivation’

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Paul Pogba won the World Cup with France in 2018

Pogba has made 423 appearances at club level across two spells with Manchester United and his two stints with Juventus.

After initially being handed a four-year ban in February, Pogba considered retirement but was urged to remained focused on a return by his wife.

“I am still the same player with a different hunger, more motivated and more hungry,” Pogba said.

“I will appreciate the game more than before because the game has been taken away from me. I realise how important it is for me.

“There will definitely be another Paul Pogba but with more determination and motivation to play until the end of my career.”

Pogba made his debut for France in 2013 and has won 91 caps, scoring 11 goals.

His last appearance for Les Bleus came in March 2022 in a friendly against South Africa.

Despite such a lengthy spell out of the game and a plethora of options for France boss Didier Deschamps to choose from, Pogba expressed a desire to return to the international fold.

“I have to be ready for that,” Pogba said.

“The players there deserve to play in the national team and I have to win my place in the national team again. I’m ready to fight, you have to, it’s the competition.”

Sources close to the 31-year-old Juventus midfielder told BBC Sport he can resume training in January 2025 and will be eligible to play again from March.

France international Pogba was suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal (Nado) in February after a drugs test found elevated levels of testosterone – a hormone that increases endurance – in his system.

Cas director general Matthieu Reeb confirmed to Reuters the ban had been reduced to 18 months from 11 September, 2023.

In a statement, Pogba said: “Finally the nightmare is over. I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again.

“I always stated that I never knowingly breached World Anti-Doping Agency regulations when I took a nutritional supplement prescribed to me by a doctor, which does not affect or enhance the performance of male athletes.

“I play with integrity and, although I must accept that this is a strict liability offence, I want to place on record my thanks to the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s judges who heard my explanation.

“This has been a hugely distressing period in my life because everything I have worked so hard for has been put on hold.”

Former Manchester United midfielder Pogba took his case to Cas and gave evidence in person at a hearing earlier this summer.

He previously said he would “never knowingly or deliberately” dope and believed the verdict was “incorrect”.

Had the original ban stood, the 2018 World Cup winner would have been unable to play until 2027, when he will be 34.

Pogba was provisionally suspended in September 2023 after being randomly tested following Juventus’ first match of the 2023-24 season on 20 August.

The positive test was confirmed by Nado in a second sample in October, and the anti-doping prosecutor’s office requested a four-year suspension.

Speaking at the time of the initial suspension, Pogba’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, said: “What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule.”

Juventus re-signed Pogba on a four-year deal in July 2022 after the player ran down his contract at Manchester United and left as a free agent following a six-year spell.

However, his return to Turin has been beset by persistent injury problems which also caused him to miss the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Pogba managed just 162 minutes across five appearances during the 2022-23 season and had played a total of 51 minutes as a substitute in the following campaign before his suspension.

Cas has been contacted by BBC Sport for comment.

A judge ordered the six men to appear before a court following an investigation into whether Pogba was the target of extortion by his brother, Mathias Pogba, and childhood friends, the office said.

The prosecutor’s office said Mathias Pogba, 34, was ordered to stand trial “for the offenses of attempted extortion and criminal conspiracy.” The court date has not been announced.

The five others — identified by their first names only — allegedly demanded €13 million ($14.3 million) from the France midfielder, and repeatedly intimidated him, claiming he didn’t support them after he became an international soccer star. They are accused of extortion and attempted extortion by using violence, abduction and confinement to facilitate a crime or misdemeanor, as well as criminal conspiracy.

During the investigation, Pogba said he paid €100,000 to the organized group including his brother. According to French media reports, the 31-year-old player also told investigators the alleged extortionists wanted to discredit him by claiming he asked a witch doctor to cast a spell on teammate Kylian Mbappé. Pogba denied the allegation.

A lawyer for Mathias Pogba did not respond to a message seeking comment.

The case became public after Mathias Pogba posted threats on social media to share “explosive” revelations about his brother, Paul’s agent Rafaela Pimenta, and Mbappé. Mathias Pogba was also a soccer player who spent most of his career with lower-tier teams in Europe.

Once one of the world’s top midfielders, Pogba has made the headlines more often for his off-field problems than for his soccer brilliance in recent years.

Earlier this year, he was banned for the maximum four years by Italy’s anti-doping court after testing positive for testosterone while at Juventus. He has appealed to the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Pogba was known for his versatility, physicality and eye for the goal. When he returned to Manchester United in 2016, the club paid Juventus a then world-record transfer fee of €105 million.

Pogba rejoined Juventus in 2022 but then struggled with injuries. He was ruled out of France’s run to the 2022 World Cup final because of a knee injury. Pogba helped France win the previous World Cup, scoring in the 4-2 win over Croatia in the final.

The France midfielder’s ban from football was confirmed on Thursday.

Pogba said he will appeal against the decision and would “never knowingly” dope after tests found elevated levels of testosterone in his system.

“It’s very sad both on a human level and for football,” said Allegri before Sunday’s Serie A match at Napoli.

“We are losing an extraordinary player.

“I was lucky enough to work with him, coach him, and it’s very difficult to find players like him… he’s a fantastic guy.”

Pogba, 30, was a key midfielder in the Juventus side who won the Serie A title under Allegri in 2015 and 2016, after which he signed for Manchester United for a second time in a then-world record £89m deal.

Allegri went on to guide Juventus to five consecutive league titles before leaving the club in 2019.

He returned in 2021 and Juve re-signed Pogba on a free transfer the following year, but neither the manager nor the player have rekindled the success of their first stint at the club.

The 36-time Italian champions are currently second in Serie A, 12 points behind leaders Inter Milan, and have gone two seasons without a trophy under Allegri.

Pogba, who has made just one start and 11 substitute appearances in his second spell at Juve after being dogged by injuries, was tested randomly after their first match of the season on 20 August.

The positive result was confirmed by Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal following testing of a second sample in October. The anti-doping prosecutor’s office requested a four-year suspension.

Pogba said he believed the verdict was “incorrect” and he would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Allegri told a news conference he had sent the 2018 World Cup winner a message on Thursday after the announcement of the ban, which runs until August 2027, when Pogba will be 34.

But the Juventus coach said he would not comment further on the case while “there is a procedure underway”.

The former Manchester United player was provisionally suspended in September after a drugs test found elevated levels of testosterone in his system.

France international Pogba, 30, was randomly tested after Juventus’ first match of the season on 20 August.

BBC Sport has been told Pogba will appeal against Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal’s (Nado) decision.

The failed drugs test was confirmed by Nado in a second sample in October, and the anti-doping prosecutor’s office had requested a four-year suspension.

A Juventus spokesperson told the AFP news agency: “We received notification from the tribunal this morning.”

The ruling means Pogba will be unable to play until 2027, when he will be 33, with the ban backdated to the date of the failed test.

It is understood Pogba believes that if he did take a banned substance, he did so inadvertently.

Speaking at the time of the initial suspension, Pogba’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, said: “What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule.”

Testosterone is a hormone that increases the endurance of athletes.

Nado said Pogba had violated rules when prohibited non-endogenous testosterone metabolites – substances not naturally produced by the body from testosterone – were found in the test, and the results were “consistent with the exogenous [external] origin of the target compounds”.

Juventus re-signed Pogba on a four-year deal in July 2022 after the player ran down his contract at Manchester United and left as a free agent.

Pogba’s return to Turin has been beset by persistent injury problems which also saw him miss last year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Pogba has played a total of 51 minutes as a substitute this season in games with Bologna and Empoli.

Last season he played 108 minutes over six Serie A games, made three appearances and one assist in the Europa League, and managed 11 minutes in the Coppa Italia – a total of 162 minutes and no goals.

Pogba opted not to make a plea bargain with Italy’s anti-doping agency, meaning the case will be tried before the country’s anti-doping court. At the age of 30, a four-year ban could end Pogba’s career.

Four-year bans are standard under the World Anti-Doping Code but can be reduced in cases where an athlete can prove their doping was unintentional, if the positive test was a result of contamination or if they provide ‘substantial assistance’ to help investigators.

Pogba’s positive test was announced in September, stemming from an exam that was carried out after Juventus’ game at Udinese on August 20 this year. The France international did not play in the Serie A match but was on Juve’s bench.

The midfielder asked for counter-analysis to be made on his positive doping test but those results also returned a positive result.

It emerged that DHEA was the substance discovered in both samples, which helps the body produce other hormones, such as testosterone.

Pogba, 30, was provisionally suspended last month after his initial sample found elevated levels of testosterone in his system.

The France international was selected for random testing after Juve’s 3-0 win at Udinese on 20 August, when he had been an unused substitute.

If found guilty of doping, he could be banned for between two and four years.

After Pogba’s initial suspension in September, Nado Italia said he had violated anti-doping rules when it found the prohibited substance “non-endogenous testosterone metabolites” and the results were “consistent with the exogenous origin of the target compounds”.

Testosterone is a hormone that increases the endurance of athletes.

Speaking at the time of the initial suspension, Pogba’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, said: “What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule.”

Juventus re-signed Pogba on a four-year deal in July 2022 after the player ran down his contract at Manchester United and left as a free agent.

However, Pogba’s return to Turin has been beset by persistent injury problems which also saw him miss last year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Pogba has played a total of 51 minutes as a substitute this season in games with Bologna and Empoli.

Last season he managed 108 minutes over six Serie A games, three brief appearances and one assist in the Europa League, and 11 minutes in the Coppa Italia – a total of 162 minutes and no goals.

Pogba’s injury problems resurfaced recently, with Juventus boss Massimo Allegri saying the player picked up a minor back problem following his appearance against Empoli.

Pogba remains provisionally suspended from football after a drugs test found elevated levels of testosterone in his system earlier this week.

If the 30-year-old France international is found guilty, he could face a ban of between two and four years.

“I am sorry for Pogba,” Allegri said.

“A procedure is underway, there are people involved and it is right to wait for the end of the proceedings. He has been suspended, [so] let’s wait for the ruling and then I will be able to say what changes for Juve.

“Paul will not be with us against Lazio and [the following game at] Sassuolo and then we’ll see. Right now, however, we have to stay focused on the players we have”.

Allegri was also asked by Italian media about the lawsuit brought against the club by former club captain Leonardo Bonnuci, who is seeking damages for an alleged failure to provide adequate conditions to train which left him “humiliated”.

“I wish him good luck for his career on and off the field,” he said of the 36-year-old who moved to Union Berlin this summer.

“The soap operas are on Canale 5 [Italian television channel], but I’m not crazy about them. Bonucci went to a team that is in the Champions League.

“I have nothing more to add.”

These are the latest legal issues facing the Old Lady, who were docked ten points last season following a hearing into the club’s past transfer dealings and are currently serving a season-long suspension from European competition for breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

Allegri’s side host Lazio on Saturday looking to continue their unbeaten start to the Serie A season.

READ ALSO

• Paul Pogba provisionally suspended after drugs test

• Paul Pogba failed Serie A doping test for Juventus

The Frenchman has been provisionally suspended and could be banned for up to four years after testing positive for testosterone.

The positive test was reported to have occurred after Juve’s Serie A fixture against Udinese on August 20, a game in which he did not play.

The maximum suspension in such cases is four years – an initial two-year ban, which can be doubled if it is proven that the substance was taken deliberately.

Reports in Italy claim Juve could cancel Pogba’s contract if he is banned and the club are already drawing up a contingency plan. 

La Repubblica’s Turin edition says that Arsenal’s Thomas Partey is a name on their shortlist. 

Partey was linked with a move to the Italian giants in the summer but the report adds that he will be difficult to prize away from the Gunners.

The Ghanaian is currently on the sidelines with a hamstring injury but it is hoped that he will be back in action in around a month.

He started Arsenal’s first three Premier League games though was shifted to an unfamiliar right-back position.

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• Paul Pogba provisionally suspended after drugs test

• Paul Pogba failed Serie A doping test for Juventus

Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal (Nado) said Pogba was tested after Juve’s 3-0 win at Udinese on 20 August.

The 30-year-old France international, an unused substitute, was randomly selected for post-match drug testing.

If found guilty of doping, he could face a ban of between two and four years.

Juventus said in a statement: “Juventus Football Club announces that today, 11 September, 2023, the footballer Paul Labile Pogba received a precautionary suspension order from the National Anti-Doping Tribunal following the results of tests carried out on 20 August, 2023.

“The club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps.”

Pogba’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.

“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” Pimenta added.

Nado said Pogba had violated anti-doping rules when it found the prohibited substance “non-endogenous testosterone metabolites” and the results were “consistent with the exogenous origin of the target compounds”.

Testosterone is a hormone that increases the endurance of athletes.

Pogba has three days to produce a counter-analysis of the result to Nado.

Juventus re-signed Pogba on a four-year deal in July 2022 after the player ran down his contract at Manchester United and left as a free agent.

However, Pogba’s return to Turin has been beset by persistent injury problems which also saw him miss last year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Pogba has played a total of 51 minutes as a substitute this season in games with Bologna and Empoli.

Last season he managed 108 minutes over six Serie A games, three brief appearances and one assist in the Europa League, and 11 minutes in the Coppa Italia – a total of 162 minutes and no goals.

Pogba’s injury problems resurfaced recently, with Juventus boss Massimo Allegri saying the player picked up a minor back problem following his appearance against Empoli.

The Serie A match ended 3-0 at the Dacia Arena in Udine on August 20, but Pogba remained on the bench throughout.

He did come on for brief substitute appearances in the next two rounds against Bologna and Empoli.

Nonetheless, Pogba was still one of the players randomly drawn to undergo doping tests and it is reported there were elevated levels of testosterone.

A second test sample must now be checked before it can be said he has failed the doping test.

It has been a disastrous time for Pogba at Juventus since the return as a free agent from Manchester United last summer, barely featuring due to a series of injury problems.

These reared their head again last week when he pulled up with another muscular issue during the 2-0 win away to Empoli.

The 30-year-old’s campaign has been blighted by injury and he was withdrawn in the 24th minute after making his first competitive start in over a year.

Juventus said scans “showed a low-grade lesion of the rectus femoris”.

Juve have four games of the season remaining, with their final match at Udinese on 4 June.

That period includes a Europa League semi-final second leg at Sevilla on Thursday, which could lead to the final on 31 May.

The France international covered his face as he left the field after pulling up in the 2-0 win over Cremonese.

It was Pogba’s first start since his final game for former side Manchester United against Liverpool in April 2022.

He suffered a calf injury in that game which ruled him out for the remainder of last season.

After rejoining the Serie A club in the summer, Pogba suffered a knee injury in pre-season but initially opted not to get an operation, fearing it would rule him out of the World Cup in Qatar.

But he was later deemed to need surgery anyway and, although he returned to the squad in January, he suffered another muscular problem that delayed his return to action further.

He played the first game of his second spell with Juve on 28 February.

After he was dropped from Juventus’ Europa League tie with Freiburg in March for disciplinary reasons, Pogba had another setback when he suffered a right thigh injury while taking free-kicks in training.

He returned to the bench against Sporting Lisbon on 13 April and had made nine substitute appearances in total before being selected for the starting side against Cremonese.

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Both Pogba and Vlahovic are returning from lengthy injury absences and were named on the bench in Serie A on Sunday after they took part in a friendly against a Juventus reserve team earlier last week.

Vlahovic, who had not played for Juve since October, came on for Mattia De Sciglio in the 65th minute of their shock home 2-0 defeat by Monza. Pogba, who has yet to play a game this season, was an unused substitute.

“Apart from [Leonardo] Bonucci who is still out, the only one who won’t be available due to a flexor soreness is Pogba,” Allegri told a news conference on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately when you’re out for a long time and you raise the intensity level, you get pain… Maybe in a few weeks, he’ll be in top condition.

“He needs his body to readjust and it will take some time, you have to navigate by sight in these situations. From here to the end we have to use him in the best possible way.

“Vlahovic will almost certainly play as a starter, for the others, I have to decide. [The game] can last 120 minutes tomorrow so the substitutions will be even more important.”

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Juventus, who saw a 15-point deduction for false accounting plunge them from third to 10th place in Serie A in January, need to adjust to their new reality quickly, Allegri added.

“The club will see where we can defend [ourselves], [but] it must not be an alibi or an excuse, we have to go out there and do what needs to be done,” Allegri said.

“Maybe it’s the first time 15 points have been taken off the table, you were third and you go back down. Now we start again, [and] we have to manage [the situation] as best we can.

“The Italian Cup game has to be done in the best way, we will do our best.”

Juve resume their Serie A campaign on Tuesday at 14th-placed Salernitana.

Pogba, 29, has not played for the Serie A side this season since rejoining from Manchester United in the summer.

He suffered a knee injury in July and initially opted not to have surgery in a bid to be fit for the tournament.

France’s first World Cup match is against Australia on 22 November.

In a statement on Monday, Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said: “Following yesterday’s and today’s medical review in Torino and Pittsburgh, it is extremely painful to inform Paul Pogba will still need recovery time from his surgery.

“For this reason, Paul will not be able to join Juventus’ squad before the World Cup break nor the French national team in Qatar.”

Pogba, whose last appearance for France came in a 5-0 friendly win over South Africa in March, returned to training early last month before opting for surgery, which had kept him on the sidelines until two weeks ago when he recommenced partial training with Juve.

Italian media reports on Monday also suggested that Pogba had sustained a thigh injury to further set back his recovery, while Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri recently said it was “very unlikely” that the midfielder would play for the club before the World Cup.

Four other people have also been placed under formal investigation for extortion and criminal association, judicial sources told news agencies Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

Mathias Pogba’s lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, said his client is innocent.

He told French broadcaster BFMTV: “We are going to challenge this decision.”

Mathias Pogba, 32, has admitted he was behind a video that appeared online last month promising “revelations” about the 29-year-old Juventus midfielder.

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French prosecutors opened a judicial investigation earlier this month after former Manchester United player Paul said he was the target of extortion and threats from an organised gang.

He filed a complaint with Turin prosecutors on 16 July claiming he was the target of a 13m euro (£11.29m) blackmail plot.

A World Cup winner with France in 2018, Pogba moved to Juventus on a free transfer this summer after leaving Manchester United.

Mathias Pogba is also a professional footballer who has been capped by Guinea and played for clubs across Europe including Crewe, Wrexham, Crawley and Partick Thistle.

“Mathias Pogba presented himself to the investigators in the early afternoon and was taken into custody,” the source said.

The source added that three other people are also in custody. Temporary detention in France usually ends after 24 hours.

The Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation last month into attempted organised extortion, which is being handled by anti-corruption police.

French prosecutors are investigating allegations that Paul Pogba was the target of extortion by his elder brother Mathias and childhood friends. They allegedly demanded €13 million (nearly $13m) from the former Manchester United player.

Last week, Mathias Pogba’s lawyer, Richard Arbib, said his client wants “to state emphatically that he is a complete stranger to any extortion attempt against his brother, Paul Pogba.”

The case became public after Mathias Pogba posted a video and tweets threatening to share “explosive revelations” about his brother and Paris Saint-Germain‘s Kylian Mbappe.

Paul Pogba reportedly told investigators the blackmailers aimed to discredit him by claiming he asked a witch doctor to cast a spell on Mbappe.

Pogba denied that allegation and Mbappe has sided with the player he won a World Cup with in 2018.

The 32-year-old Mathias Pogba is also a footballer who spent most of his career with lower-tier teams in England and other European countries.

The Juventus midfielder’s brother, Mathias Pogba, claims that Paul solicited the help of a witch doctor in order to put a curse on Mbappé. That claim has been denied by Pogba, and it was revealed last week that Mbappé had phoned both brothers in order to understand his role in the affair.

Asked if the ongoing affair affects his relationship with Paul, Mbappé replied, “No, because today I prefer to trust the word of a teammate. He called me and gave his version of events. At the time of speaking it’s his word against that of his brother. I will trust my teammate in the interest of the national team as well. We have a big competition [World Cup] and he already have some problems. It’s not the time to give him another one.”

He added, “We’ll see how it goes. I am quite detached from it all.

Pogba had reportedly initially hoped to avoid surgery, choosing instead to have “alternative treatments” in order to keep his World Cup hopes alive.

However, he now looks set to undergo surgery. According to Fabrice Hawkins, Pogba felt discomfort whilst “dribbling banally with the ball at his feet.”

It is unclear as to whether Pogba is certain to miss the World Cup in Qatar, which is due to start in late November. However, Foot National reported in August that the surgery would rule Pogba out for four months, meaning that he would miss the competition. However, Sky Italia are reporting that the surgery will only rule him out for six weeks.

Since returning to Juventus from Manchester United this summer, he has yet to make an appearance due to the ongoing knee issue.

The Juventus and France midfielder issued a statement through his lawyers on Sunday saying the matter has been reported to the authorities.

News agency AFP, citing a source, said French police had opened an investigation.

Earlier, Pogba’s brother Mathias posted videos online promising to publish “great revelations” about the player.

Mathias Pogba said the information was likely to be “explosive”, without giving further details.

“They are in addition to threats and extortion attempts by an organised gang against Paul Pogba,” read the statement.

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“The competent bodies in Italy and France were informed a month ago and there will be no further comments in relation to the ongoing investigation.”

A World Cup winner with France in 2018, Pogba moved to Juventus on a free transfer this summer after leaving Manchester United.

In his videos, Matthias Pogba said the “whole world, as well as my brother’s fans, and even more so the French team and Juventus, my brother’s team-mates and his sponsors deserve to know certain things”.

He said the revelations would also involve Pogba’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta.

Pogba will see a specialist consultant in order to decide on the best course of action for his problem, after it was reported that he had a lesion on his meniscus.

He suffered the problem after limping out of training in Los Angeles with new side Juventus last week, when he suffered pain in his right knee.

The 29-year-old midfielder suffered regular spells on the sidelines with various injuries during his time with Manchester United and it appears that he has at least one more serious injury to deal with now he has returned to the Italian team on a free transfer.

Pogba has flown back to Italy to see a specialist and La Gazetta dello Sport reports that he may even miss the rest of the year.

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One treatment is to take out a piece of the meniscus, which could lead to an absence of almost two months, and would give him time to regain his fitness for the World Cup with France. However, that option is generally used for younger athletes.

Another choice would be to suture the lesion, but that may leave him out for between four and five months, which would put not just the World Cup in doubt, but the rest of 2022’s games.

Juventus said in a statement: “Following complaining of pain in his right knee, Paul Pogba underwent radiological examinations that revealed a lesion of the lateral meniscus.

“In the next few hours he will undergo a specialist orthopaedic consultation.

“Therefore, in order to continue treatment, he is not taking part in the trip to Dallas.”

The Daily Mail reports that Juventus may now alter their transfer approach, with Arthur Melo, Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey all linked with an exit. One or more player could now be retained to accommodate Pogba’s enforced absence.

The 29-year-old France midfielder won the Serie A title twice with the Italian giants before a then world-record £89m transfer to United in 2016.

He flew in to Turin on Friday for his medical before the announcement on Monday.

Pogba had not featured for United since April after struggling with injury and sporadic form.

Juventus said: “When we say goodbye after an intense adventure shared together, there is always a glimmer of hope that we will see each other again, sooner or later.

“He left as a boy and returns as a man and a champion, but there is one thing that has not changed – the desire to write unforgettable pages of club history together once more. Pogba is back and we couldn’t be happier.”

United and Pogba were unable to agree on a new contract and the club confirmed at the start of June that he would leave as a free agent this summer.

Pogba, who joined the United academy from Le Havre as a 16-year-old in 2009, helped them to win the EFL Cup and Europa League in his first season back at the club, but they would prove to be the only trophies he won in his second spell.

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A disagreement with then United manager Jose Mourinho saw him lose the vice-captaincy in 2018, before injuries and patchy form reduced his impact.

Pogba, who has 91 international caps, was influential as France won the World Cup in Russia in 2018.

He went on to score 16 goals for United in the 2018-19 campaign, but over the last three seasons scored just eight goals from 91 appearances, with one from 27 last term.

Pogba scored 39 goals in 233 appearances across his two spells at the club, but his final home appearance against Norwich City in April saw him jeered by United supporters as he was substituted.

Juventus finished fourth in Serie A for the second straight season, 16 points behind champions AC Milan.

They had been Italian champions for the preceding nine seasons, with Pogba playing a key role in their title wins from 2012-13 to 2015-16.

The French midfielder took to social media on Wednesday night to offer a reward for anybody able to come forward with information after intruders entered his home while his children were sleeping.

In a powerful statement, Pogba detailed the horror of finding out that his children had been put in danger whilst he was away, explaining that “there is no feeling worse” than not being at home to protect them.

“Last night our family’s worst nightmare was realised when our home was broken into and burglarized while our babies were sleeping in their bedroom,” Pogba wrote on Twitter.

Manchester City defender, Joao Cancelo was also assaulted in the lead up to the New Year as thieves attempted to break into his home.

The first half was goalless but full of controversies. Luke Shaw was booked for an incident in which Burnley wanted a red card, while Harry Maguire had a goal disallowed for the slightest of contacts with Erik Pieters.

United upped the tempo in the second half and Pogba began to control the game before eventually breaking Burnley’s resolve when his volley from the edge of the box deflected past Nick Pope in the 71st minute.

Burnley stay 16th in the table while United travel to Anfield to face second-placed Liverpool, who are three points behind the new league leaders, on Sunday.

The Manchester United midfielder’s contract at the club has been left in doubt following his unimpressive performance.

Reports in the British media suggest that the Red Devils have lowered their asking price for the 2018 World Cup winner to £53 million.

Mr Boasiako, popularly known as ‘Chairman Wontumi’, praised Asante Kotoko’s Chief Executive Officer, Nana Yaw Amponsah, for his good job before vowing to pay the Red Devils’ asking price for the French midfielder.

“I believe in Nana Yaw Amponsah. I think that guy has the vision to help Ghana’s football so I have asked them to go to Manchester United to trigger the release clause of Paul Pogba… You know day in day out his price comes down and now I learnt it’s around £53M. I will pay,” he told Wontumi TV.

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According to Chairman Wontumi, buying Pogba will prove to the world Kotoko is bigger than Manchester United.

“I want to bring him to Kumasi Asante Kotoko SC and tell the world that there’s a club in Ghana bigger than Manchester United.

“There’s a business aspect that you haven’t seen but I will make returns through the sale of his jerseys and others so paying his weekly wages would not be a problem at all,” he added.

Asante Kotoko have signed nine players ahead of the start of the new Ghana Premier League season where they are tipped as one of the favourites to win.

The Porcupine Warriors will also represent the country in the 2020/21 Caf Champions League.

But the 27-year-old added that he will “do everything” to put United “where the club deserves” to be.

The France player has regularly been linked with a move away from the team he re-joined for £89m in 2016.

The World Cup-winner’s contract expires in the summer, although United can activate the option of a further year until 2022.

And Pogba said he has not had any discussions with the club over an extension.

“No-one has told me anything,” he said at a press conference with the France national team on Thursday. “I have not spoken to [United executive vice-chairman] Ed Woodward. We haven’t spoken about a new deal.

“At the moment, I am in Manchester and I am concentrating about getting back to my best form.

“I think there will be a moment when the club will come and talk to me and maybe offer me something, or not.”

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Asked about the prospect of a move to Madrid, with whom he has been linked on a number of occasions, he replied: “All football players would love to play for Real Madrid. It is a dream for me, why not one day?

“I am in Manchester and I love my club. I am playing in Manchester, I’m having fun and I want to do everything to put the club where it deserves.

“I will give everything to the max, like my team-mates.”

United have had a troubled start to the season, winning just one of their opening three league games.

Their last game before the international break saw them hammered 6-1 at home by Tottenham to leave them 16th in the Premier League table.

Pogba has started all three of United’s league games this campaign, having self-isolated after testing positive for coronavirus in August.

The pair are now self-isolating for 14 days, giving them little time to prepare for the new Premier League season, although Ndombele is believed to have tested positive a few days ago.

Pogba was replaced by Rennes teenage sensation Eduardo Camavinga in the French squad, which also features uncapped duo Houssem Aouar and Dayot Upamecano.

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“I had to make a last-minute change to this list because Paul Pogba was planned to be in this list but unfortunately for him, he took a test [for Covid-19] yesterday which turned out to be positive today, so at the last minute he was replaced by Eduardo Camavinga,” said France manager Didier Deschamps.

France travel to Sweden on September 5 before hosting Croatia three days later.

Meanwhile, Ndombele’s Tottenham return to league action against Everton on September 12, while Manchester United face Crystal Palace on September 19 after earning an extended break following their Europa League run.