Reports Juventus still want Pogba to leave despite ban reduction | OneFootball

Paul Pogba will be eligible to return to competitive action for Juventus in March 2025, but the Bianconeri could still explore options for the Frenchman’s departure in the coming months, according to the latest updates from Italy.

Pogba was handed a four-year suspension after failing a post-match doping test in August 2023. After a successful appeal to the European Court of Arbitration for Sport, the length of the ban was reduced from four years to 18 months.

Why Juventus still want Pogba to leave

As the former Manchester United midfielder is one of the highest earners at Juventus when on his full salary, his return could cause an unexpected financial headache for the Juventus board.

The Frenchman earns a reported €10m per season on his full contract, a similar wage packet to leading striker Dusan Vlahovic at the top of the club’s wage bill. Pogba, however, has been earning around €2,000 per month during his ban so far.

Purely from a sporting perspective, there are suggestions that it will be difficult for Pogba to work his way back into Thiago Motta’s team by the end of the current campaign.

Regardless of his fitness level by March 2025, Juventus already have €50m signing Teun Koopmeiners in the advanced midfield role, while Kenan Yildiz is arguably at his best through the middle as well. Summer signing Douglas Luiz is also capable of playing in that position.

Juve are also plenty stocked in their midfield pivot, with Manuel Locatelli, Nicolo Fagioli and Weston McKennie all putting in promising performances at the start of the 2024-25 campaign. That’s also before mentioning Khephren Thuram.

Calciomercato.com suggest that a mutual termination of Pogba’s contract could be a ‘win-win’ solution for both parties, but it remains to be seen what will happen for the Frenchman in Turin.