Paul Pogba is reportedly in talks with Juventus to end his contract with the club after the Court of Arbitration for Sports’ judgement on his four-year doping ban.
Recall his initial four-year doping ban was reduced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to just 18 months in a landmark judgement and a big boost to the player’s career.
As part of the judgement, he has been cleared to resume training with Juventus in January 2025 and can return to footballing action in March 2025.
Recall the player was frozen out of the Juventus squad after he tested positive for a banned substance – DHEA – which is said to boost hormones and improve athletes’ performance in sports.
DHEA is reportedly on the list of the World Anti-doping Agency’s list of banned substances for athletes. Pogba tested positive for the substance in August 2022 after a doping test was conducted on him by Italian authorities
He requested the B-sample of the test to further ascertain the authenticity of the test. Unfortunately, it also came out positive.
Pogba denied doping charge
In his defence, Paul Pogba argued through his lawyer that he did not use the substance intentionally but mistakenly as a food supplement recommended by his doctors during his injury.
His pleas fell on deaf ears as he was slammed with a four-year ban by the Italian Anti-doping tribunal. However, CAS upheld his position and adjudged that the player did not use the substance intentionally.
Moreover, the court also upheld the fact that the said substance was only effective for female, not male athletes. So, the four-year ban was slashed to 18 months with the €15,000 fine set aside as well.
CAS’ judgement came as a big boost to Pogba’s career. Sources close to the footballer claimed he was considering retirement should the CAS uphold the four-year ban.
Paul Pogba to end Juventus contract after CAS judgement
Now, he has shelved his retirement plans aside and is willing to return to footballing action. Futballnews understands he is still contracted to Juventus until 2026. However, he may not return to Juventus again and is considering a new beginning away from the Turin club.
Recall that Juventus reportedly considered terminating Pogba’s contract after he was frozen out of the squad due to the doping scandal. His £200,000 weekly wage was also slashed to £17,000 per Italian outlet since he was no longer in action.
While he reportedly still loves the club and is willing to return, the recent change in the club’s dugout makes his potential return literally infeasible.
He joined the club under former manager Maximilliano Allegri who has now been replaced by Thiago Motta. Motta has embarked on a prodigious overhaul of the squad with several players laid off and reintegrating the box-to-box midfielder into the team was the least likely to happen.
This and other factors have apparently necessitated Pogba’s decision to consider ending his collaboration with the club.
What is next for Paul Pogba?
The expectations are that he (Pogba) will reach a mutual agreement with Juventus to end his contract. His return to the Serie A giants is unlikely.
The expected mutual termination of the remaining 12 months of his contract will be a win-win situation for the two parties. While it will allow Juventus to stick to their squad plan under Motta, Pogba will be free to join any club as a free agent without the trappings of Juventus’ terms.
Meanwhile, French outlets report that the player is eager to reconnect with France national team head coach Didier Deschamps and possibly return to France squad.
Both Deschamps and the French Football Federation expressed their unflinching support to the player during his ordeal. However, he may have to taste club football action first before being considered for the French team.
At the time of filing this report, he has been linked to a move to MLS and could join other French footballers like Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris in the US elite division.
