Paul Pogba may soon become a free agent, with discussions reportedly underway to terminate his contract with Juventus, according to sources from ESPN.
After successfully appealing his doping suspension, which was reduced to 18 months, Pogba is set to resume training in January 2025 and return to competitive football by March.
Both Pogba and Juventus are reportedly considering the possibility of him continuing his career at a different club. Though Pogba is under contract with Juventus until June 2026, a mutual agreement might allow the 31-year-old to leave early and sign with another team.
Since his return to Juventus after leaving Manchester United in 2022, Pogba has only made 12 appearances for the Serie A side, and this potential contract termination could signal a fresh start for the midfielder.
His last competitive appearance was as a second-half substitute in a 2-0 win over Empoli more than a year ago.
Pogba was provisionally suspended in September 2023 before being handed a four-year ban in February. He gave evidence at an appeal in the summer and last week was cleared to begin playing again early next year.
In a statement, CAS outlined their reasoning behind the reduction in Pogba’s ban: “The CAS Panel based its decision on the evidence and legal arguments made that Mr Pogba’s ingestion of DHEA, the substance for which he tested positive, was not intentional and was the result of erroneously taking a supplement prescribed to him by a medical doctor in Florida, after Mr Pogba had been given assurances that the medical doctor, who had claimed to treat several high-level US and international athletes, was knowledgeable and would be mindful of Mr Pogba’s anti-doping obligations under the World Anti-Doping Code.
“Much of the evidence provided by Mr Pogba was unopposed. The CAS Panel determined, however, that Mr Pogba was not without fault and that, as a professional football player, he should have paid greater care in the circumstances.”
A statement issued by Pogba on Friday read: “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.”