Paul Pogba Attends LAFC's Loss to Austin FC: Could He be MLS Bound? | OneFootball

Even after not playing since September 2023, Paul Pogba is one of global soccer's most intriguing free agents.

Last week, the 2018 World Cup winner’s 18-month doping ban expired, making him eligible to return to the professional game. While there have been many rumors about his future, the 32-year-old has been linked to Major League Soccer.

Through the 2025 MLS season, the former Juventus and Manchester United star has attended several Inter Miami CF home matches. On Saturday, though, he was in the stands with former French teammate Olivier Giroud, celebrating his 32nd birthday and watching Giroud’s LAFC fall 1–0 to Austin FC at BMO Stadium.

MLS clubs, especially the major market teams of LAFC, LA Galaxy and Inter Miami, have had their eyes on Pogba before, with reports of some clubs even putting in “discovery” claims towards the midfielder, giving them preferential MLS rights to him before he signs in the league.

At this point, his appearance at an MLS game draws eyes, given his significant following and potential to make a critical impact on the pitch.

But as much as MLS may entice Pogba and the league may want him, it’s not so simple. If he were to join, he would likely have to take a significant discount, primarily if he targets one of LAFC, LA Galaxy, or Inter Miami.

LA clubs, Inter Miami lacking salary cap space

Olivier Giroud has struggled with LAFC and is currently on a Designated Player contract / Kelvin Kuo-Imagn Images

While Miami appears to be Pogba’s preferred destination, considering the star power of Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez, the club does not have the roster flexibility to offer a Designated Player contract.

Should they want to sign him, Pogba would have to agree to a contract below the threshold of $1.744 million per season, the maximum for a non-DP on a “Targeted Allocation Money (TAM)” contract.

However, even creating enough TAM space would be challenging for Miami, given the six players – including Luis Suárez – already signed to TAM deals.

Messi, Alba, and Busquets are the club’s three designated players in 2025, while Suárez takes up a TAM slot alongside David Martinez, Gonzalo Lujan, Maxi Falcon, Julian Gressel and Tadeo Allende. Among the three available U22 initiative players are Tomas Aviles, Federico Redondo and Telasco Segovia.

Miami could move things around, and other MLS clubs have shown interest in Gressel, a midfielder and fullback who doesn’t seem to be in head coach Javier Mascherano’s plans. Still, even that would leave them with the challenge of fitting Pogba in on a budget.

LAFC also lacks a DP spot, having already signed Cengiz Ünder, Denis Bouanga and Giroud.

However, they are more likely to make one of the DPs a TAM player. Yet, they may use that to sign another French star in Antoine Griezmann, who appears set to sign after his deal with Atletico Madrid ends.

The LA Galaxy, currently mired in a poor start to the season, could also be a possibility. They have a trio of DPs in Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, and Joseph Paintstil. They also boast three U22 Initiative signings and four TAM players, a contract class that includes Marco Reus.

Other MLS options for Pogba?

Sporting Kansas City and Chicago Fire FC have previously attempted to sign Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Should Pogba be open to other options, several MLS clubs have recently looked at adding star talent and could be enticed to do so.

Ahead of the 2025 season, Chicago Fire FC made a strong effort to sign Neymar Jr. before he left Al-Hilal for his boyhood club, Santos FC, in Brazil’s top division. In 2022, Sporting Kansas City also talked with Cristiano Ronaldo before he opted for a higher-valued contract with Al-Nassr.

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Both clubs could be willing to swing at Pogba. At the same time, other teams like Toronto FC, New York City FC, and Charlotte FC have also shown interest or have a history in signing big-name talents to lofty contracts and have some roster flexibility.

CF Montréal, the only French-speaking club in MLS, and one that once spent significant money on Didier Drogba, could also be an unlikely contender.

Regardless of where he ends up, few players can rival Lionel Messi's social value in terms of presence in MLS. Yet, after 18 months away from professional soccer, Paul Pogba could make a significant impact in both the social and on-field realms.