Manchester United paid a then world record £89m to Juventus for Paul Pogba in 2016 - he rejoined the Italian club on a free transfer in 2022 Paul Pogba has joined Monaco on a two-year contract as he returns to competitive football following a doping suspension. The former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder, 32, was provisionally suspended after being randomly tested following Juventus' opening game of the 2023-24 season against Udinese. He later received a four-year ban whichwas cut to 18 monthsin October following an appeal. He agreed amutual termination of his contractwith Juventus in November and has been able to recommence his career since March as a free agent. It will be the first time the France World Cup winner has played in Ligue 1 in his career. In the final judgement of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) it was confirmed Pogba inadvertently took dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a substance which boosts testosterone and is on the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) banned list. Crucially, however, the ruling stated DHEA only has an effect on females. Pogba started out at Manchester United before moving to Juventus, where he won Serie A in each of his first four seasons - including two Doubles. He then returned to Old Traffordfor a world-record £89min 2016, and in his first season won the Europa League and FA Cup. Pogba, who has 91 caps for France, then helped Les Bleus to 2018 World Cup glory, scoring in the final as theybeat Croatia 4-2 in Russia. Injuries and a lack of form interrupted his final three seasons at Manchester United, and he failed to excel on his return as a free agent to Juve.
Pogba signs two-year Monaco deal after doping ban
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"Paul Pogba joins AS Monaco on two-year deal after doping suspension"
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TruthLens AI Summary
Paul Pogba has officially signed a two-year contract with AS Monaco, marking his return to competitive football after serving a doping suspension. The 32-year-old midfielder, who gained prominence during his time at Manchester United and Juventus, faced a provisional suspension following a doping test conducted after Juventus' opening match of the 2023-24 season against Udinese. Initially facing a four-year ban, Pogba successfully appealed, resulting in the suspension being reduced to 18 months. Following a mutual termination of his contract with Juventus in November, he has been eligible to play again since March as a free agent. This move to Monaco represents a significant moment in Pogba's career as it is his first experience in Ligue 1, the French top division, where he began his professional journey before moving abroad.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed that Pogba inadvertently ingested dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a banned substance that enhances testosterone levels, though it noted that the substance primarily affects females. Pogba's career has been marked by significant achievements, including winning multiple Serie A titles with Juventus and contributing to France's victory in the 2018 World Cup, where he scored in the final against Croatia. However, his final seasons at Manchester United were marred by injuries and inconsistent performance, leading to an unremarkable return to Juventus. As Pogba embarks on this new chapter with Monaco, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if he can recapture the form that once made him one of the most celebrated midfielders in the world.
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