Paul Pogba has signed a two-year deal with Monaco, marking his return to top-level football after serving a doping suspension.
The 32-year-old midfielder, formerly of Manchester United and Juventus, had been provisionally banned after a routine drug test following Juventus’ Serie A opener against Udinese in the 2023-24 season.
That suspension was originally set at four years, but following an appeal, it was reduced to 18 months in October.
Following the ruling, Pogba and Juventus agreed to part ways in November by mutual consent. As a free agent, he became eligible to resume his career from March this year.
This new chapter at Monaco represents the first time Pogba will feature in Ligue 1, despite having spent much of his youth career in France.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) clarified in its final judgement that the banned substance in question was dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is known to increase testosterone levels and is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
We are delighted to announce the arrival of Paul Pogba 🇫🇷
The midfielder has signed a 2-season deal and is now tied to the Club until 30th June 2027 🆕 pic.twitter.com/SJN33IZhzw
— AS Monaco EN 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco_EN) June 28, 2025
CAS stated: “DHEA only has an effect on females.” The substance had been ingested inadvertently, according to the ruling.
Pogba’s professional journey began at Manchester United before a move to Juventus, where he played a key role in their domestic dominance. His first four seasons in Turin saw him win four consecutive Serie A titles, including two domestic doubles.
In 2016, he made a return to Manchester United for what was then a world-record transfer fee of £89 million. His first season back at Old Trafford yielded both the Europa League and FA Cup trophies.
Internationally, Pogba has been capped 91 times for France and was a standout performer in the 2018 World Cup. He scored in the final as France beat Croatia to lift the trophy in Russia.
However, the final years of his second stint at Manchester United were marred by injuries and inconsistency. A free transfer return to Juventus failed to reignite his form, and his time in Turin ended prematurely.
