Paul Pogba became emotional as he signed a two-year contract with Monaco, marking his return to competitive football after serving a doping suspension.
In 2016, Manchester United acquired Pogba from Juventus for a then-record fee of £89 million, but he returned to the Italian club on a free transfer in 2022.
The 32-year-old midfielder, who previously played for Manchester United and Juventus, was provisionally suspended after a random drug test following Juventus’ first match of the 2023-24 season against Udinese.
He was later handed a four-year ban, which was reduced to 18 months in October after an appeal.
After signing with Monaco, an emotional Pogba expressed his gratitude by saying “thanks for the trust,” and concluded his announcement video with the phrase “La renaissance,” suggesting a hopeful comeback for his career.
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In November, he mutually terminated his contract with Juventus and has been able to resume his career as a free agent since March.
This will be Pogba’s first experience playing in Ligue 1 during his career.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed that Pogba unintentionally ingested dehydroepiandrosterone, a substance that enhances testosterone and is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
However, the ruling noted that drug primarily affects females.
Pogba began his career at Manchester United before moving to Juventus, where he won Serie A in each of his first four seasons, including two Doubles.
He returned to Manchester United for a record £89 million in 2016, winning the Europa League and FA Cup in his first season.
With 91 caps for France, Pogba played a key role in helping the national team win the 2018 World Cup, scoring in the final against Croatia, which ended 4-2 in favor of France.
His last three seasons at Manchester United were marred by injuries and poor form, and he struggled to make an impact upon his return to Juventus as a free agent.