Paul Pogba is free to return to football as his doping ban ends on March 11 and he’s being linked with a wide selection of clubs.
The 31-year-old was originally banned for 4 years for a doping offence but after a successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) it was reduced to 18 months.
This saw him resume training in January and he’s now eligible to play again from today.
The last time the Frenchman stepped onto a football pitch in a competitive game was on September 3, 2023 when he got here off the bench for Juventus against Empoli.
Considered top-of-the-line midfielders on the planet in his pomp, he’s clearly not at his peak anymore, having not played for 18 months and turning 32 later this month.
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Nevertheless, he’s a free agent and may join a club outside of the transfer window after his Juventus contract was terminated by mutual consent in November 2024.
Favourites to snap up the World Cup winner are Inter Miami, with Pogba dropping hints that a link-up with David Beckham’s MLS club is on the cards.
Paul Pogba next club odds
Inter Miami CF 9/4
Man Utd 9/2
Marseille 9/2
Fenerbahce 7/1
Al Ittihad Jeddah 10/1
Atletico Madrid 10/1
Corinthians 10/1
Santos 12/1
DC United 14/1
Barcelona 16/1
Odds courtesy of bet365
Nevertheless, European clubs are also considered options for him, with Manchester United, Marseille and Fenerbahce all among the many favourites to be his next club.
A move to the Saudi Pro League is a possibility, with Al Ittihad within the running, while Brazilian clubs Corinthians and Santos have also been touted as possible destinations.
Inter Miami stays the probably move, though, after Pogba was pictured with Beckham last month in Florida.
He also posted an image of himself taking a look at Port Miami with the caption: ‘Let’s see what’s coming…’
The hints have been strong as in January Pogba also posted pictures of himself in a ‘Beckham 7’ shirt.
Clearly it might not only be Beckham he can be linking up with in Miami, however the star-studded solid in Javier Mascherano’s squad, including Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba
In a press release posted in October last 12 months when it was confirmed that his ban was reduced to 18 months, Pogba said: ‘Finally the nightmare is over. I can stay up for the day after I can follow my dreams again.
‘I all the time stated that I never knowingly breached World Anti-Doping Agency regulations after I took a dietary complement prescribed to me by a health care provider, which doesn’t affect or enhance the performance of male athletes.
‘I play with integrity and, although I need to accept that it is a strict liability offence, I need to put on record my due to the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s judges who heard my explanation.
‘This has been a hugely distressing period in my life because every thing I even have worked so hard for has been placed on hold.’
Manchester United have been linked with signing Pogba for a 3rd time in his profession, but his compatriot and former Red Devils defender Mikael Silvestre has warned the club off a move.
‘No, I wouldn’t be tempted to sign Paul Pogba on a free transfer if I used to be Manchester United,’ Silvestre told yaysweepstakes.com. ‘I like Paul lots but I wouldn’t since it’s going to be expensive and also you don’t know physically how long it’s going to take him to stand up match fitness.
‘Though he’s been out of the sport for 18 months, before his ban, he wasn’t really playing that much at Juventus. He’s had a few injuries. It’s too big of a risk (to sign Pogba). For those who were signing him and he was in peak fitness, he had been playing regular football, with an ideal body and mind, then it might be a no brainer, but, after what he’s been through as well, it’s extremely difficult for him. I wouldn’t be in favour of Manchester United bringing him back to the club again.’
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